DepEd softens its stance on teachers’ guidebooks
LINGAYEN—The controversial Teachers’ Guidebook published by the provincial government aimed at improving instructions in all public schools in the province may yet see the light of day after the Department of Education (DepEd) rejected it.
This became apparent after Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan said DepEd Regional Director Ligaya Miguel recently called him to say that the guidebooks, prepared by trained master teachers of the Pangasinan Schools Division I and II, were found with “only minor errors” after a review conducted by a DepEd panel.
“Director Miguel told me that the review of the guidebooks had already been completed and that they found only minor errors on them,” Baraan told The PUNCH.
Miguel stopped short of saying that the DepEd is ready to give the go signal for the use of the books this school year, which opens on June. But Baraan wants to interpret the result of their telephone conversation as the green light for the project.
“We have done our part. It is up to the DepEd to distribute these. This is already their call,” Baraan said.
The guidebooks earlier became a contentious issue when Education Secretary Jesli Lapus was reportedly piqued on learning that the project didn’t seek the approval of his office.
The education officials who initiated the development of the guidebooks, Pangasinan I Division Superintendent Alma Ruby Torio and Pangasinan II Schools Superintendent Armando Aquino, were promptly sanctioned with a demotion in their postings.
Torio has been moved to a smaller area of responsibility covering Dagupan while Aquino decided to opt for an early retirement rather than take a lower posting.
The provincial government had funded its production and distribution to all public schools in Pangasinan on recognizing the value of the guidebooks.
The distribution was eventually stopped following a memorandum order from the DepEd Regional Office, which is based on an order from the DepEd central office.
Prior to this, Schools Division Assistant Superintendent Donato Balderas of Pangasinan II said the provincial government did not err in the production of the teachers’ guidebooks. He reiterated this during the question hour of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan last May 25.
Baraan also maintained that the production of the guidelines had a prior clearance from the DepEd regional office and was in accordance with the guidelines of the agency.
Meanwhile, Dr. Aurora Domingo, the new Pangasinan I Division Superintendent who replaced Torio, also threw in her support for the guidebooks.
“We appreciate the efforts of the provincial government to allocate funds for the production of the guidebooks,” said Domingo, adding that the guidebooks do not deviate from the general curriculum of the department.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan had contemplated on declaring Education Secretary Jesli Lapus persona non grata when he ordered a halt to the distribution of the guidebooks and the reassignment of Torio and Aquino.
In a related development, Vice-governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas said despite the issue on these guidebooks, the provincial government intends to allocate more funds to education.
SCHOOL REPAIRS
In a letter to Miguel of the DepEd Regional office, Gov. Amado Espino Jr. expressed the provincial government’s readiness and willingness to provide funds for the immediate repair and rehabilitation of damaged school buildings in western Pangasinan similar to what it did last year in the aftermath of Typhoon Cosme.
The governor, however, expressed reservations about spear-heading such under-takings without seeking prior clearance from DepEd officials for fear that local school officials will be rebuked as well for “unauthorized interventions” on account of the provincial government’s initiatives.
“We wish to spare our local school officials from possible administrative sanctions, just like the severe and drastic disciplinary action imposed upon our two schools division superintendents, when we published the teacher guidebooks, allegedly without prior clearance from above,” Espino said.—LM
Share your Comments or Reactions
Powered by Facebook Comments
