Tag: #synergeia

The Resurgence of Iloilo Province in the Devolution of Education to LGUs (Part 1 -The Meeting of the Minds and Hearts)

Posted on by Florendo Guevara


Post 1: The Meeting of the Minds and Hearts

Do LGUs have the capacity to be responsible and accountable for the decentralization of education and improvement of delivery and performance of basic education?

Let us begin with Iloilo Province. The province was chosen as the pilot test site for implementing this Proof of Concept (POC) on the devolution of education to the LGUs from the Department of Education (DepEd) as the best strategy to raise the benchmarks, particularly in reading and comprehension, for Filipino children.

Specifically, the goal is for children in Grade 3 to read in English and Filipino well, for both word recognition and comprehension, by the end of 2024.

The POC will have three capacity-building components: a. Best practices in teaching reading; b. Reinvention of Local School Boards (LSBs); and c. Training of parents.

Armed with the support of the Office of Senator Angara, through the Education Commission 2 or EDCOM2, and a seed fund of Php 5.08 million earmarked in the General Appropriations Act of 2024, Synergeia led the first organizational and planning meeting in Iloilo City with eleven LGUs, regional officials of the DepED, the Department of Interior and Local Government, and members of the LSBs.

The meeting was very successful in the way the issues were openly expressed, a consensus was established on the rules of collaboration and roles of accountability and management and a solid commitment of all stakeholders involved was forged to ensure the success of this POC initiative.

What are the insights into the issues and challenges of education in the province of Iloilo that provide the POC’s framework for innovation success in an LGU?

Read this in the next post: Facing The Mirror in the Province of Iloilo

Wisdom from the Chairman

Posted on by Florendo Guevara

Video link : https://youtu.be/e6h1rK6XLH8

Esteemed officials from our national and local governments, friends and colleagues in the education sector, partners in industry and civil society, ladies and gentlemen, good morning; maayong buntag; as-salamu alaykum.

Ano nga ba o saan itong Neverland?

According to its creator, James M Barrie, Neverland is near the “stars of the milky way” and it is reached “always at the time of sunrise.” And so Peter Pan, the main character, tells us that you can reach Neverland if you go “second star to the right, and straight on till morning.”

Alam niyo, mahina tayong mga Pinoy sa directions. Madali tayong malito sa north, east, south, west. Kahit alam na natin kung saan sumisikat at lumulubog ang  araw, parang walang bisa sa atin na tandaan kung saan ang pagsilang at pagpanaw nitong kaisa-isang bituin natin. Naliligaw pa rin tayo, kung saan-saan tayo lumiliko. Pag nagbigay tayo ng direksyon, tumuturo tayo na gamit ang  nguso. Minsan nga, kahit kanan at kaliwa, nalilito pa, ayan tuloy, maya-maya, nawawala.

Second star to the right and straight on till morning. Paano ba yan? If we look for Neverland with the eyes of grown ups, we will surely find it too far, too long a travel, expensive, elusive, unreachable. Never tayo makakatuntong sa Neverland. By our grown up senses, we will never find Neverland. It is quite apparent now that Neverland was never really meant to be found by grownups.

But if for the next two days, we will try to become children again, then perhaps we will find Neverland. If in this time together, if we could only put in a box our big roles and titles and worries, if we could only become small again and look at the world as we all once did, with the eyes of a child, then perhaps it will be possible to reach Neverland, that magical place of our childhood, that wonderful time of timelessness, that delightful place of trust and freedom and dreams.

To help us go back to becoming like children once more, I suggest we first put our hand on our navel. We do not often pay attention to this part of us. We take it for granted but navels are there to remind us that we were once connected to another person. Physically, organically we were once tied to our mothers. We came into this world after much pain, after someone else’s sacrifice and love.

I first learned of Neverland from my mother. I first met Peter Pan through her. My mother read the story of Peter Pan to us children in bed. When my sister became a mother, she in turn read stories to her children in bed. I am sure that my niece (her daughter) who is now herself a mother, she too is now reading stories to her child.

It is remarkable how a simple and intimate act of goodness, this act of reading stories to children at bedtime gets to be imitated and passed on to succeeding generations. Let this summit be a sort of bedtime for us, a time to recline and rest, a time to tell each other stories. Let it also be a time to listen with wonder and imagination, a time to be thankful for our stories of goodness and generosity, stories that have the power to fly us to Neverland.

Becoming like children, we will also recover something we may have lost over the years. Read a story to a child, and you will observe that a child never seems to weary of starting all over again. Read it again, a child will beg us. Hindi ito kulit ng bulilit. Mangha lamang ito ng musmos, manghang di maubos-ubos. Mangha is what we tend to lose when we grow old. To children, there is always something new to be found beneath the worn out words and pictures, always something fresh to discover, as if they are seeing it for the first time.

If we become little as children again, life will always be big. There will always be something in life to startle us. If today fills us with wonder, we can imagine what tomorrow will be like. Tomorrow will be new again. In the words of Khaled Hosseini’s “The Kite Runner,” a novel about children and friendship, “there is a way to be good again.” Or as one song has it, “the sun’ll come out tomorrow”, in joyful defiance of whatever the weather might bring.

And when the sun does come out, bungang araw. Bunga ng araw. Flowers and many good things open up with the sun. Children ripen with daylight. When the morning comes, we play. More outside than inside. We run, we climb, we stumble and gash our limbs, we cry, we fight but we do not let the anger last, we laugh, we sing and dance and we hold each other’s hands. We jump for joy when in a game of patintero, one of us makes it home. We do not have to be the one to make it to the finish line. Their success is ours to celebrate as well. Before we knew organization development, we already had a sense of what makes for teamwork  or teamplay. Before we learned to add one plus one, we already knew that it was more than two. Even as children, we already had a sense of that big word, synergy.

It helps to remember what we here in Synergeia once said of synergy.

Ang synergia ay ang pag-uugnay ng mga bagay-bagay para makapagbuo ng bunga na higit pa sa simpleng pagdadagdag o suma ng mga bahagi. Ika nga, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Halimbawa po: sinigang. Maraming sangkap ang sinigang pero ang lasa nito higit pa sa indibidwal na lasa ng mga sangkap, higit sa lasa ng sampaloc o kamatis o kung anu-ano. Ang musika ay synergy; sa saliw ng sari-saring instrumento, isang simponiya ang nalilikha. Ang bahaghari (rainbow) ay isang sinergia. Pati ang kulay puti. Hindi nagsasarili ang kulay puti. There is no such thing as a color white. White itself is a synergy of many colors. Ang tao ay isang synergia, ang kanyang halaga at dignidad ay hindi mauuwi lamang sa suma ng mga bahagi ng kanyang pagkatao. Ang barangay ay higit sa koleksyon lamang ng mga bahay. Ang isang bansa ay higit pa sa suma ng mga barangay o tribo, munisipyo o probinsya.

Walang synergy kung isang bahagi o sangkap lamang ang kumikilos. Ang kare-kare ay hindi lamang tuwalya; ang bahaghari ay hindi lamang bughaw; ang simponiya, hindi lamang dinadala ng pianista. Hindi nangyayari ang synergia kung may nagsasarili, may namamayani. Nangyayari ang synergia kung may pagbabahagi at bigayan.

Matagumpay po tayong lahat dito sa Synergeia kung ibinabahagi o isinasauli ang responsibilidad ng pagpapalaki ng mga bata sa buong komunidad. Ang responsibilidad ng pagpapaaral sa ating kabataan ay hindi lamang sa mga magulang o paaralan, hindi lamang sa DepEd o superintendent o pribadong sector o civil society. Sa Synergeia, pinaninindigan natin na ang komunidad ang dapat umako sa responsibilidad ng buong pagpapaaral sa mga bata.

Sa kanilang pag-aaral natuklasan ng ating mga propesor at mananaliksi ang isang importanteng pattern: mataas ang correlation ng learning performance ng bata at ng community participation. Sa madaling salita, if the community is engaged, the grades go up. If the community is involved, the students learn well. Oo, mahalaga ang pinuno, ang liderato, ang nagkukumpas, pero ang kahalagahan nya nagmumula lamang sa halaga ng mga bumubuo ng komunidad, sa kalidad ng kanilang kontribusyon at pagtiwala sa isa’t isa.

Mahalaga ang tiwala, ang social capital, ang level of trust na batayan ng pagiging isang komunidad. Mahalaga ang buong orchestra.

Concretely, this means that local chief executives take the podium in leading over non-traditional programs that keep children in school, programs that make them read well, programs that make good teachers, good instructional materials, programs that build the capacities of our parents. It means reinventing local school boards, broadening their membership and functions, instituting performance metrics, and making School Governing Councils work. It means that the governance of education, from planning to implementation, is made both participatory and transparent. Bayanihan po. Hindi po hari o reyna ang  ibinubuhat, hindi sariling bangko. Sa bayanihan, sa synergia, ang ibinubuhat hindi lamang bahay; ang ibinubuhat ay bata, paaralan, pamilya, buong bansa.

Sa tunay na synergia, mahirap alamin kung sino o anong sangkap ang may kagagawan ng kabuuan. Kung maganda ang musika, ito’y hindi dahil sa konduktor lamang. Sa tunay na synergia, nabubuwag ang pyudal na hawak at mababaw na pag-aako ng mga padrino. Ang komunidad ang nananagot; ang komunidad ang sumasagot sa kinabukasan ng mga bata. Sa tunay na synergia, katiwala lamang tayong lahat, katiwala (stewards) ng mga biyayang hindi natin sukat inakala.

Second star to the right, and straight on till morning. Kung ganito lang naman pala ang direksyon patungong Neverland, hindi na siguro tayo mawawala. Alamin lang natin kung saang banda ang umaga, makakarating din tayo sa Neverland.

Kung matanto lamang natin kung saang dapit sumisikat ang araw, at kung saan itong mga bunga ng araw, makakatuntong din tayo sa Neverland. Kung paroroon lamang tayo sa may silangan, kung lalapit lamang tayo sa kinaroroonan ng mga bata, hindi na tayo malalayo pa sa Neverland.

In the story of James Barrie, it is told that children are able to find Neverland because it was “out looking for them.” There lies the secret then to finding Neverland, this magical place of our timeless hopes and dreams. We can only find Neverland because it seeks us. Let us then look out for what is already out there looking for us. Let us look out for the children who are looking for us. Let us love them, as one song has it, till the 12th of never. And that’s a long, long time.

Maraming salamat po. At maaraw na bukas sa ating lahat.

Jose Ramon T Villarin SJ Synergeia National Education Summit

PICC, 21 September 2023

Persevering Thru a Life of Adversity

Posted on by synergeia

Norhaina Butuan’s life has been a challenging journey since she first entered the world. She was born without arms and legs, which made everyday activities more difficult for her. Growing up as the second child in a family of ten, Norhaina experienced hunger on a regular basis. Her family struggled to make ends meet, and empty stomachs were a constant reminder of their scarcity. Despite this, Norhaina learned to endure the pangs of hunger and became resilient at a young age.

Norhaina’s dream of becoming a teacher was threatened by her condition, which made it difficult for her to progress in elementary school. Writing on a blackboard was a huge obstacle, and it felt as though her limitations were holding her back.

But Norhaina refused to let her circumstances defeat her or her aspirations. Last year, she joined the Alternative Learning System offered in her community. She passed the elementary level exams and is now part of the program as a high school learner thanks to the Synergeia Foundation and UNICEF.

Despite the challenges she faces, Norhaina’s determination and resilience have allowed her to overcome her obstacles and strive towards achieving her goals. Her unwavering spirit and indomitable will have made significant progress in her education and personal growth. She is fortunate to have a passionate Instructional Manager who guides her and even visits her at home whenever she cannot attend school. Her classmates are also kind enough to lend a helping hand and even carry her so that she can come to school. Norhaina’s story is one of perseverance, hope, and inspiration.

N: Ako po si Norhaina Butuan, ikalawa sa sampung magkakapatid. Ang aking ama’y magsasaka at ang nanay ko naman po’y sa bahay lamang po upang alagaan kami. Ako po ang katuwang ng aking mga magulang sa bahay. Magmula pa noong isilang ganito na po ako walang mga paa at mga kamay. Ako po’y labis na nahihirapan sa aking kalagayan. Gayunpaman po, mas nanaig ang aking pasasalamat at determinasyon dahil ako po’y nabigyang buhay at nabubuhay sa mundong ibabaw.

N: Kasulukuyang nag-aaral ako sa ALS.

R: Bago ka nagaral sa ALS ano ang ginagawa mo?

N: Dati po akong nag aaral sa formal school at ako po’y napatigil at hindi natapos ang aking elementarya dahil po walang naghahatid sa akin sa paaralan. Si inay hindi ako mahatid dahil po naghahanap buhay. Mga kapatid ko naman po ay nag aaral din sila.

R: Noong hindi ka nagaral kasi nahihirapan silang ihatid, ano ang naisip mo bilang bata? Ikaw ba ay nalungkot o hindi—may pangarap ako, may gagawin ako tungkol dito?

N: Napag isipan ko rin po yun at nasabi ko sa aking isipan na gustong gusto ko nang mag aral. Tinanong ko po sila tatay at nanay kung pwede na akong mag-aral kasi po may mga pangarap ako para sa sarili ko at para narin po sa kanila. Sagot po nila, “sige papayagan ka naming mag aral kung may tutulong sa iyo sa pag-aaral”.

R: Sabihin mo in one sentence yung pinapangarap mo para sa sarili mo.

Pangarap ko po talagang maging guro pero dahil sa kapansanan ko po, gusto ko nalang maging bihasa sa paggamit ng computer dahil yun po ang nakikita kong kaya kong gawin. Yung pagiging guro po hindi ko kayang gawin dahil po hindi ko abot ang pisara.

R: Naniniwala ka noong panahon na hindi nila kayang dalhin sa school na ang imposible ay pwedeng maging posible? Naniniwala ka ba na kaya mo ito for as long as may opportunity?

N: Opo naniniwala naman po ako sabi ko sa sarili ko kaya ko ito para sa pamilya at ako’y mag aaral nang mabuti.

R: Paano mo nalaman tungkol sa oportunidad na ito, ang ALS?

N: May nagtanong kung gusto ko po bang mag-aral ulit. Sagot ko po, “opo gustong gusto ko po. Paano? Saan? Kailan? Kanino?” May lumapit po sa aking babae sabi may ALS program sa ating munisipyo at sinabi po niya sa akin ang kagandahan ng ALS:

*Ang ALS hawak mo ang oras mo

*Sa ALS lahat pwedeng mag-aral, OSY, May asawa,Matanda,may kapansanan

*Sa ALS walang discrimination lahat pantay pantay

*Sa ALS tuturuan din tayo ng livelihood training

Hanggang sa makilala ko po si ma’am Meilene Ampang, ang aming guro. Sunod na araw pumunta si ma’am Meilene Ampang sa aming tahanan upang akoy turuan. Yun po ang naging daan upang ako’y magkapag patuloy sa aking pag aaral.

R: Ano sa tingin mo ang naging mabuting karanasan mo sa pag-aral mo sa ALS? Ilang taon ka noon?

N: Dalawang taon na po akong nag aaral sa ALS. Yung una po nitong nakaraang taon bilang elementarya. Ngayon naman po bilang isang junior high school po, marami po akong natutunan sa pag aaral sa ALS. Sa palaging pagpunta ni ma’am sa aming tahanan upang akoy turuan nasabi ko pong ‘wow! maraming naitulong sa akin ang ALS.

Tinanong po ako ni ma’am kung handa na ba raw akong pumunta o pumasok sa aming CLC? Sagot ko po, “opo sabik na sabik na akong pumasok at pumunta sa school. Gustong gusto kong maki-isa, makita, makihalubilo sa aking mga kaklase. Gustong gusto ko po talagang maranasan ang isang tunay na pag aaral.”

R: Anong sinabi sayo ng magulang mo habang ginagawa mo?

N: Sabi po ng mga magulang ko, “pagbutihin mo ang pag-aaral mo dahil ito ay para sa ikabubuti mo”

Sabi pa po nang nanay ko, “kahit anong maranasan mo mag-aral ka nang mabuti”

Sagot ko po, “opo nay. Para ito sa ating pamilya. Pagbubutihan ko po ang pag aaral ko at magtatapos. Kayang kaya ko ito!”

R: Sabihin mo sa akin ang naging karanasan sa mga kaklase mo tungkol sa kundisyon mo. Nakatanggap ka ba ng positibong encouragement, na parang sinasabi nila, alam mo, wala yan. Gawin natin ang dapat gawin. Mag-aral tayo nang mabuti. Mararating natin yan. Kahit may kapansanan, hindi yun dapat balakid sa kaalaman. Yun ang dapat na motivation kasi tayo lang tutulong sa sarili natin.

N: Masaya po sa school. Ang makasama ang aking mga kaklase at mga kaibigan ay napaka saya po. Tinutulungan po ako ng aking mga kaklase. Binubuhat po nila ang wheelchair ko para makapasok ako sa aming classroom at palagi po nilang pinapalakas ang aking loob. “Nor wag kang mawalan ng pag-asa. Nandito lang kaming mga kaklase mong handang tumulong sayo at handang umakay saiyo sa lahat ng oras at panahon.”

R: Nawalan ka ba ng pagasa? Wala, andito lang ako, mahirap lang kami, walang tutulong sa akin.

N: Hindi ako nawalan ng pag-asa na magsalita ng ganun. Kaya ko ito. Hindi ko papansinin ang sinasabi ng tao. May tumutulong sa akin, hindi lang kayo. Ang daming tumutulong sa akin.

R: Ano ang mensahe mo sa mga batang katulad mo na minsan ay nawalan ng pagasa?

N: Mensahe ko lang, sana huwag kayong mawalan ng pag-asa. May pangarap kayo sa buhay. Kaya nyo. Ganito. Tulad ko, hindi ako nawawalan ng pagasa.

R: Mensahe sa mga guro, kay ma’am Mailene na nagtuturo sa iyo sa ALS? Anong ang gusto mong sabihin sa kanila?

N: Ang masasabi ko lang kay ma’am, ma’am salamat. Kung hindi dahil sa inyo, hindi ako makakapag-aral dito saka hindi ako matututong magbasa. Mabuti nakilala ko si ma’am, kung hindi, paano na? Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko. Saan ako kukuha ng teacher na mabait? Salamat nakilala ko siya. Mahal na mahal ko si ma’am. Pangalawa kong nanay yan. Salamat ma’am. Andiyan ka palagi sa akin saka lagi mo akong sinsorportahan. Salamat.

N: Ako po ay si Norayna Butuan, ALS student, ako po ay laban sa kahirapan