DILG chief highlights agency’s initiatives in education
IN accordance with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s directive to improve the quality of education, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos on Thursday highlighted the Department’s initiatives to address challenges in the education sector down to the grassroots level.
“The DILG remains steadfast in our guidance to the local government units (LGUs) in supporting the Department of Education (DepEd) and its implementation of national and local programs that ensure and advance educational governance at the LGUs,” Abalos said.
The DILG secretary underscored the need to create opportunities for teaching and non-teaching personnel in public schools.
Based on data gathered by the DILG, LGUs in 12 regions of the country identified the following as their common priorities: construction and improvement of school infrastructure; financial support for teachers; provision of school supplies and equipment, among others.
“We can utilize these data to see what our LGUs need to further improve and enhance their service delivery in matters concerning education.”
Abalos likewise emphasized DILG efforts to address the pressing gaps affecting education such as poverty, lack of resources and infrastructure, on-going armed conflicts, digital divide, and nutrition.
He said the DILG implements a holistic approach on armed conflict through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (e-CLIP) assistance for former rebels, and a focus on creating better telecommunications infrastructure to close the gap in digital access.
The DILG is also involved, he added, in the implementation of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) with the DSWD and ensures the streamlining of civic services through digitalization and legislation promoting ease-of-doing-business (EODB) practices.
Meanwhile, Abalos pointed out the problem of malnutrition and the lack of access to nutritious and affordable food as overarching contributors to the poor performance of learners.
