VICE President Sara Duterte yesterday formally handed the reins of the Department of Education to Sen. Sonny Angara, who vowed to hit the ground running in his bid to upgrade the quality of basic education in the country.
In simple turnover rites at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City, Duterte handed the department’s seal and flag as well as the transition report to Angara, who was named the new DepEd Secretary by President Marcos Jr. last July 2.
The turnover ceremony took place a month after Duterte resigned her Cabinet post.
Before the ceremony, Duterte met with Angara and led him on a tour of her previous office as well as other key offices at DepEd.
In his acceptance speech, Angara said: “As we assume our role and start a new chapter for DepEd, we will hit the ground running and learn as we go. Allow us some time to dig deeper. In the coming days, we will outline our key priorities.
“Education is a pillar of our nation’s progress. And it is only through a nation’s effort that education will improve and be made more effective. We need to work together,” he added.
Angara, who is in his last term as senator, said he would do everything to ensure the DepEd would be able to provide quality basic education for all.
He said education reform, including making it more accessible, is one of the key issues he tackled during his stint as congressman and then senator.
“In the two decades that I served as a legislator, education reform was on top of my priorities. I worked to improve access and quality education in the country through scholarships for poor yet deserving students,” he said.
Angara also served as commissioner of the Second Congressional Commission on Education tasked to conduct a comprehensive review of the country’s basic education sector.
Angara added he would not do away with the programs of his predecessor, adding he would build and improve upon Duterte’s accomplishments.
“We will build from what you have already started,” he said, referring to Duterte and other outgoing DepEd officials.
Two undersecretaries, including DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa, and three assistance secretaries have resigned.
The Matatag curriculum or the revised K to 12 curriculum was Duterte’s main program in her two-year stint as DepEd chief.
It targets the “decongestion” of the current curriculum to improve the quality of basic education in the country.
Among the revisions in the K to 12 program include reducing the number of competencies and greater emphasis on the development of foundational skills such as literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills for Kinder to Grade 3 learners.
The current curriculum has seven competencies, namely, Mother Tongue, Filipino, English, Mathematics, Araling Panlipunan, MAPEH, and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao.
Under the Matatag curriculum, there will be five competencies, namely, Language, Reading and Literacy, Mathematics, Makabansa, and GMRC.
The DepEd has yet to release the result of its review of the K12 or Senior High School curriculum.
Earlier, Angara said he would with all education stakeholders to ensure that every Filipino child has access to quality basic education.
He said he would also consult with teachers’ groups to know their problems, including their repeated calls for a salary increase.
