Fences and farmers: LGU efforts in education reforms

by Jee Y. Geronimo Posted on 10/13/2013 12:13 PM |Updated 10/13/2013 2:20 PM

EDUCATION CHAMPIONS. About 50 local chief executives commit to education reforms. Photo by Jee Geronimo/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines In Asturias, Cebu, private organizations helped the local government build more schools. But Mayor Alan Adlawan saw something else was missing: school fences.

He could've tapped their partners again to ask for more help. But he believed in his community and in what it can do. So while it took much prodding, he eventually convinced students and teachers to conduct fund raising concerts to build the much-needed fences.

We make the school earn, Adlawan shared during a workshop on basic education policy reforms on Thursday, October 10, in Pasig City. (READ: LGUs told: Graduates need not always head to Manila)

The workshop was organized by ULAP or Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, the umbrella organization of all local government leagues.

Over the course of two months, ULAP consulted with 26 local government units (LGUs) in the country to identify issues in local education.

Results of the consultations showed that supply issues remain to be a concern on the ground despite the Department of Education's (DepEd) efforts to close backlogs in classrooms, teachers, books, comfort rooms and classroom seats, among others.

League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) president Sandy Javier said basic education needs are lacking in many LGUs, especially the poorest ones.

Fortunately, more LGUs are taking up the responsibility of improving the quality of education in the country. In fact, before the workshop started, about 50 local chief executives pledged to be champions of education reform.

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Fences and farmers: LGU efforts in education reforms