Quezon City — The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Australian government, through its Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), formally concluded the Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) Program at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria.
The BEST Program started in 2013 and is headed to complete the entire six-year development process on June 30 this year. The program reflects the ties between the Philippine and Australian governments towards refining the quality of and access to basic education in the Philippines through enriched service delivery and governance which all formed part of its end-of-program outcomes.
The program also assisted the Philippine education sector in its shift from 10-year to K to 12 curriculum for basic education by supporting major reform areas in the Department, namely: pre-service and in-service teacher development; education leadership and management; curriculum and assessment; development of learning and teaching materials; construction of disaster-resilient, gender sensitive, and disability-inclusive classrooms; context-specific learning systems; policy and planning; unified information systems; gender and development; and organizational development.
“BEST has helped DepEd build the foundation for K to 12 and opened the paths for further refinements such as curriculum review, which is ongoing already,” DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Nepomuceno Malaluan stated in his keynote address.
Malaluan further added that through the programs of BEST, DepEd has continued to upgrade the professional competencies of teachers and school leaders and has paved the way in building the capability of schools to provide the learning environment towards the delivery of quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education for all.
“We come together today and celebrate this partnership, the friendships, the journey, and the accomplishments of the BEST education sector transformation program,” Malaluan added.
Among the highlights of the event were the ceremonial handover of project outputs and signing of deed of donation, BEST products exhibits, video presentations, panel discussions, and the closing remarks from the directors of BEST regions including the National Capital Region (NCR) and Regions V, VI, VII, VIII, and X.
Also present in the event were representatives from the Australian government headed by Mr. Mat Kimberley, Deputy Head of Mission, and DepEd officials including Undersecretary for Planning, Human Resource and Organizational Development, and Field Operations, Jesus L.R. Mateo; Undersecretary for Legislative Office, External Partnerships, and Project Management, Tonisito M.C. Umali, Esq.; Central Office Directors; Regional and Assistant Regional Directors; Bureau chiefs; and various partners and stakeholders.
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