NEWS RELEASE|| 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬, 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

BUTUAN CITY, February 14, 2025 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐃𝐞𝐩𝐄𝐝) 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞, 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐈𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐂. 𝐀𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐎 𝐈𝐕, 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟏 𝐭𝐨 𝟏𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫, 𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞

The two-day theme, “Strengthening Public-Private Education Complementarity: Advancing Access, Quality, and Equity for All Learners,” served as a platform for collaboration among educational sectors, fostering stronger partnerships and ensuring alignment with key educational policies and initiatives.

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬

Key officials participated in the event, including DepEd Schools Division Superintendents, including the Schools Division Superintendents, the chiefs of the Schools Governance and Operations Division (SGOD) and Curriculum and Instruction Division (CID), the Senior Education Program Specialist for School Management Monitoring and Evaluation (SEPS-SMME), Private School Coordinators, Senior High School Coordinators and Planning Officers, Quality Assurance Division Personnel, Regional Functional Division Chiefs, and representatives from various private schools associations in Caraga.

𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬

Marlyne M. Villareal, DepEd Caraga Chief Education Supervisor of the Quality Assurance Division (QAD), disclosed that the event addressed various issues and concerns relative to DepEd Orders and Policies related to Private Schools, including the Government Assistance Subsidy Program (GASPE), the Guidelines on Special Orders, Tuition Fees, and School Closure procedures, as well as the challenges and best practices in managing private schools across the region.

𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬

On day one, Director Asuncion delivered an overview of the educational landscape in Caraga, highlighting current developments in program implementation and partnerships with the private sectors, such as Kahn Academy, UNICEF, and Sprix, whose initiatives have directly impacted student learning outcomes. She highlighted the strength of the teaching workforce and outlined educational priorities for CY 2025.

𝐋𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫-𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Also highlighting the first day was the keynote speech of Ponciano M. Ligutom, CESO III, former Labor Attaché and Regional Director of the Department of Labor and Employment. His insights provided a broader perspective on the interconnectedness between the education and labor sectors. Referencing the EDCOM report, Ligutom discussed the state of education in the county and offered foundational solutions crucial for national survival.

𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐮𝐦 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬

The convergence also tackled updates on the DepEd MATATAG Curriculum, including the promising pretest results of the learning assessment conducted for 15-year-old learners and the Curriculum-related Partnerships presented by Bernabe L. Linog, Chief Education Supervisor of the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD). The discussion touched on the ongoing curriculum reforms and strategies to enhance the quality of education in private institutions.

𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Day two focused on policies and programs supporting private schools, including the Government Assistance Subsidy and Voucher Program (PEAC), discussed by Jeffrey A. Carin, PEAC Regional Coordinator. Other key topics included the Grant of Permit to Operate and Recognition by Dr. Elan M. Elpidang, the Senior High School and Technical-Vocational Institution (TVI) Programs, and Grant of Special Orders (SO) to Senior High School Private Schools by Marlyne M. Villareal; updates on the Learner Information System (LIS) for Government Assistance Subsidy (GAS) participating private schools by Emmanuel S. Saga; Tuition Fees and Other Fees of Private Schools by Dr. Willy C. Dumpit; and the Processes for the Closure of Schools by Dr. Marigol C. Silao.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐮𝐦

An open forum allowed participants to seek clarifications and voice concerns, ensuring that the discussion remained interactive and responsive to the needs of private education stakeholders.

𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

DepEd Caraga thus reaffirmed its dedication to building a more inclusive and dynamic education system where private schools play an essential role in the learning ecosystem. In the words of Director Asuncion, “We have issues and challenges, but we also have opportunities. We can do it if we work together. There should be no distinction between public and private schools—we are one DepEd, one education system in Caraga.”

See more photos and related stories at these links:

For more information, contact (085) 221-1151; 0961-737-08-73; 0977-739-44-53. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph.

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