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DepEd to sharpen skills of mathematically-gifted; Senior high school model schools get P1M subsidy and DepEd creates tech-voc unit to strengthen K to 12

Posted on July 13th By buhat sa Department of Education (DepEd) Communication Unit


The Department of Education, in partnership with the Mathematics Trainers’ Guild (MTG), will conduct a qualifying examination for mathematics wizards from public and private elementary and secondary schools nationwide to further develop the mathematical potentials of promising students and be at par with international standards.

Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC said the qualifying examinations set on July 21, 2012 seek to evaluate the breadth of the students’ mathematical knowledge and skills and select superior students to undergo further training and advancement.

“Qualifiers will be given a chance to further enhance their mathematical skills through a series of intensive training so that we can optimize their full potential,” Luistro added.

Those who will pass the qualifying examinations shall be eligible to enroll as trainees in the 12-Saturday Mathematical Challenge for Filipino Kids Training Program.  In this program, they can earn the chance to participate in different international correspondence mathematics competitions which include the Mathematics Olympiad for Elementary and Middle Schools, American Mathematics Competitions, Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge, Canadian Mathematics Competitions – Pascal, Caley, Fermat Contests, Rio Tinto Big Science International Competitions and International Competition and Assessment for School Mathematics, Science and English.

Relative to this, the MTG will give 16 free slots per  region for public school students to participate in the Australian Mathematics Competition. Four slots are allotted for incoming Grades 3 and 4 in the middle primary division; four slots for incoming Grades 5 and 6 under the upper primary division; four slots for incoming first and second year high school for the junior division and four slots for incoming third and fourth year students for the intermediate division.

For more information about the program, interested parties may visit the MTG website www.mtphil.org or email rid182001@yahoo.com or call Roberto Degolacion at 0917-3246302.

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The Department of Education will provide a financial assistance of P1 million each to the 12 technical vocational secondary schools that will model the Senior High School Program under the K to 12 Basic Education Reform Program.

Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC said the grant would help the recipient schools in efficiently implementing the Senior High School Modeling Program that debuted when classes opened in June this year.

“We are assisting these schools so that they may effectively and expediently operate the program through technical and financial support. Just like a research and development process, we expect to draw out the best practices of participating model schools which we can replicate in the years ahead,” Luistro explained.

The 12 tech-voc schools are: Bukig National Agricultural & Technical School in Cagayan Valley; Angeles City National Trade School in Pampanga, Balagtas National Agricultural High School in Bulacan, Bataan School of Fisheries in Bataan. San Pedro Relocation Center National High School in Laguna, Rizal Experimental Station & Pilot School for Cottage Industries in Pasig City.

Don Alejandro Roces Science & Technology High School in Quezon City, Dona Montserrat Lopez Memorial High School in Silay City, Subangdaku Technical Vocational High School in Mandaue City, Opol National Secondary Technical School in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City National School of Fisheries in Iligan City and Tagum National Trade School in Tagum City.

The fund can be used to develop a competency-based curriculum per identified area of specialization based on industry inputs and/or Technical Education & Skill Development Authority (TESDA) training regulations.

The subsidy can also be used in the preparation of instructional materials   and purchase of supplies/materials and other learning resources. Luistro added that it can also be used for training of teachers who will teach different specializations.

Moreover, the financial assistance can also be spent for student assessment who will complete certain qualifications as well as in consultation with industry partners.

The recipient schools are required to submit a monthly progress report including the liquidation of expenses.  To check on the status of the financial assistance to the 12 recipient schools a one-day program evaluation will be held on August 29, 2012.

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The Department of Education has created a Technical Vocational Unit under the Bureau of Secondary Education to highlight its importance in the K to 12 Basic Education Reform Program of the department.

Luistro said Tech-Voc Education should be strengthened as it is one of the three major strands under K to 12 which prepares high school graduates for the world of work by equipping them with employable skills. The other two are academic strands leading to a collegiate degree and the sports and music strand.

The new unit is expected to fine-tune the modeling of Grade 11 specifically in covering such Tech-Voc areas as agriculture, fishery, etc in the 23 public Tech-Voc High Schools beginning School Year 2012-2013.

“The Tech-Voc Unit is tasked undergo steps to  strengthen the existing Tech-Voc High Schools in terms of  curriculum, teachers and management training, infrastructure, facilities and other critical inputs for these specialized schools,” Luistro explained.

It is also expected to formulate strategies and policies in the conceptualization, implementation and monitoring of the modeling and offering of tech-voc courses in Grades 11 and 12.

Moreover, the Tech-Voc Unit is directed to coordinate regularly with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for the curricular offerings and the process of awarding National Competency Levels 1 to 4 and Certificates of Competency for teachers and students.

It shall also establish linkages with prospective stakeholders in both public and private sectors as well as in international institutions to develop better equipped tech-voc schools that deliver a standard curriculum.

Tags: k12, mathematics

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