The Tan Yan Kee Foundation, Inc.(TYKFI), in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) helped schools in Ilocos Sur and Nueva Vizcaya prepare for school year 2013-2014 via a three- day workshop on “Enhancement of SY 2013-2014 Annual Improvement Plan (AIP) and Discussions on SY 2014-2016 School Improvement Plan (SIP).”
 | The workshop was conducted by TYKFI representatives former DepEd Undersecretary Dr. Yolanda Quijano and Ms. Zen Dimalanta. Resource speakers also from DepEd included Rowena dela Cruz, OPS-DepED, Pasig City; Corazon Laquingan, OIC–Planning Office, DepED Region I; and Ma. Theresa F. Tumayao, Planning Officer, DepED Region II. Participants are district supervisors and school heads of public elementary schools including representatives from the Sisters of Mary Schools. TYKFI appreciates the urgency to support education programs by teaching and empowering school planners and district supervisors to strategize and prioritize their needs. Evaluation of AIP’s before the schoolyear was necessary in order for the schools to make adjustments on backlogs for the following year. In Vigan, Ilocos Sur where the enhancement workshop was held, participants were guided on setting their individual, unique targets and strategies as well as identifying their priority areas of improvement for the AIP 3 in preparation for the school year. The Foundation specifically identified the need to alleviate participating schools of Ilocos Sur of negative internal and external factors by planning well for their schools with the assistance of experts in the field and several DepEd officials. At the outset, participants identified key terms they associate and understand to be part of School Based Managament (SBM), which showed shared governance, decentralization, shared vision, stakeholder’s active involvement, innovation, financial management, physical facilities improvement, linkages, and results-oriented goals. According to some participants in Ilocos Sur, compared to past sessions in planning and evaluation, they found it easier to assimilate the concepts because they were taught in a more actual and practical way. Some pointed out the continued need for the stakeholders and school managers to be part of their team effort to help identify priority areas for improvement. Gratitude was expressed for the opportunity to meet other school managers so that together they were able to compare best practices and learn from one another. Reactors, on the other hand, commented on the need to identify desired outcomes, in particular, performance indicators as well as the need to focus on the delivery of quality curriculum and overall broadstroke approach. SWOT analysis and other tools leading to SWOT were also recommended for the participants. The Sisters of Mary School, who had nine participants from Cavite and Cebu campuses, was commended on having student teachers although comparison with other participating schools may be limited due to a private school curriculum. Participants in Ilocos Sur, after the intense enhancement and planning session, presented a commitment statement as follows: “We, the 68 selected participants to the 3-day National Training Workshop on AIP/SIP development, sincerely commit ourselves to uplift the quality education through the knowledge, skills and the learned insights to translate into a well-crafted and co-owned AIP and SIP: To lead, empower and to draw support from our valued stakeholders so that our vision-mission be fully achieved; and To fully commit ourselves to do the tasks entrusted to us as light bringers to illuminate the society and to truly build an educated citizenry bringing quality life through quality education. So help us God.” Dr. Marino Baytec, DepEd Division Superintendent of Ilocos Sur, gave a concluding message that encouraged participants and emphasized that “they should not only remember to follow their plans at all times but more importantly to strive for the better what their plans could achieve”. This is done through the technique of MEPA (monitoring, evaluation, planning, and adjustment) where school managers will have to adjust and implement those adjustments to get higher results. District Supervisor of Sta. Cruz Buenafe Medrano, speaking for participants from the Division of Ilocos Sur, said that they received vital knowledge on capacity building and management, and feel more confident handling the work of the AIP/SIP. Similarly, Novelita Novida, school head of Cubcubbuat Elementary School, speaking for participants from Candon City Division, expressed gratitude “for a moving, informational, and enriching workshop that can be shared with colleagues.” In the Nueva Vizcaya run, the AIP-SIP workshop zeroed in on its purpose as pointed out by Dr. Quijano, which included among others, a review and evaluation of the annual implementation plan, learning from best practices, and a review on the guidelines in drawing up a school improvement plan. n Develop the School’s Annual Implementation Plan based on: • Current SIP (CY 2011-2013) • priority areas that need to be addressed/targets that need to be achieved • identify strategies that ensure accomplishments of objectives -perceive resources • Secretary’s Commitment to the President • Develop an outline of the SIP for 2014-2016 considering the: • Vision and Mission • SWOT analysis/ analysis of problems/ needs and other challenges -goals, objectives, targets • strategies that work • resources needed • stakeholders to be involved |