CATCHING UP FOR EXCELLENCE: DEPED'S UNVEILING OF CATCH-UP FRIDAYS MARKS A BOLD LEAP TOWARDS EDUCATIONAL TRANSFORMATION

&atch-8S )rida\s is a JroXndEreaNinJ initiatiYe introdXced E\ the 'eSartment oI (dXcation 'eS(d in the PhiliSSines to address the SressinJ challenJes Iaced E\ the edXcation s\stem It Joes Ee\ond mere academic catch-XS and aims to SroYide a holistic aSSroach to edXcational e[cellence %\ inteJratinJ YarioXs comSonents sXch as academic reinIorcement YalXes edXcation health Sromotion and Seace adYocac\ &atch-8S )rida\s oIIer a comSrehensiYe SlatIorm Ior learners to thriYe and deYeloS into well-roXnded indiYidXals 'eSartment oI (dXcation 'eS(d in the PhiliSSines has alwa\s Eeen committed to SroYidinJ TXalit\ edXcation to all learners AccordinJ to the JoYernment s (iJht-Point 6ocioeconomic AJenda and the 0A7A7A* (dXcation AJenda the Joal oI 'eS(d is to create caSaEle emSlo\aEle inYolYed and accoXntaEle indiYidXals who Sossess the IXndamental NnowledJe and aEilities needed Ior liIelonJ learninJ

7o IXrther enhance academic SerIormance and address learninJ JaSs 'eS(d has introdXced a new initiatiYe called &atch-8S )rida\s 'eS(d recoJni]es the need to address the low SroIicienc\ leYels in readinJ as indicated E\ national and international larJe-scale assessments 7hese assessments reYeal siJniIicant learninJ JaSs that reTXire immediate attention &atch-8S )rida\s SroYide an oSSortXnit\ to intensiI\ eIIorts in strenJtheninJ the readinJ SroIicienc\ oI eYer\ learner %\ dedicatinJ )rida\s to the '(A5 actiYit\ where stXdents 'roS (Yer\thinJ and 5ead 'eS(d aims to create a cXltXre oI readinJ and imSroYe stXdents readinJ SroIicienc\ 5eadinJ is the IoXndation oI academic sXccess and enhances critical thinNinJ YocaEXlar\ and comSrehension sNills &atch-8S )rida\s SroYide a IocXsed time Ior stXdents to immerse themselYes in EooNs and deYeloS a loYe Ior readinJ

&atch-8S )rida\s aliJn with the Easic edXcation Sriorities oXtlined in the 0A7A7A* AJenda 7his initiatiYe aims to accelerate the achieYement oI edXcation tarJets set in the 1ational /earninJ 5ecoYer\ ProJram 1/5P introdXced throXJh 'eS(d 2rder '2 1o 1 s &atch-8S )rida\s also SroYide an oSSortXnit\ to intensiI\ 9alXes +ealth and Peace (dXcation 9alXes (dXcation remains a toS Sriorit\ in comSliance with the *ood 0anners and 5iJht &ondXct *05& and 9alXes (dXcation Act 5A 1o 11 7his act recoJni]es the crXcial role oI the \oXth in nation-EXildinJ and emShasi]es the imSortance oI instillinJ moral YalXes and ethical EehaYior &atch-8S )rida\s SroYide a dedicated time to IocXs on YalXes Iormation and character deYeloSment

&reatinJ a saIe and SeaceIXl learninJ enYironment is crXcial Ior the emotional well-EeinJ and academic sXccess oI stXdents &atch-8S )rida\s inteJrate Peace (dXcation to address the issXe oI EXll\inJ and conIlict resolXtion %\ SroYidinJ stXdents with the necessar\ tools to Xnderstand SreYent and manaJe conIlicts the\ Eecome actiYe SarticiSants in EXildinJ a cXltXre oI Seace within their schools and commXnities Peace (dXcation actiYities sXch as worNshoSs Seer mediation SroJrams and commXnit\ oXtreach initiatiYes emSower stXdents to Eecome Seace adYocates and contriEXte to a harmonioXs societ\

)Xrthermore the XrJent need Ior Peace (dXcation arises Irom the ProJram Ior International 6tXdent Assessment PI6A resXlts which indicate that EXll\inJ remains a SerYasiYe SroElem in SXElic schools 7o address this issXe &atch-8S )rida\s aims to eTXiS )iliSino learners with Seace comSetencies enaElinJ them to Eecome SeaceEXilders and adYocates in their commXnities %\ incorSoratinJ Seace edXcation into the cXrricXlXm 'eS(d aims to create a saIe and inclXsiYe learninJ enYironment Ior all stXdents

&atch-8S )rida\s emShasi]e the siJniIicance oI +ealth (dXcation 7he oYerall well-EeinJ oI learners is oI Xtmost imSortance and this initiatiYe SroYides an oSSortXnit\ to raise awareness aEoXt healthrelated issXes and Sromote health\ liIest\les 7hroXJh YarioXs actiYities and discXssions stXdents can deYeloS a Eetter XnderstandinJ oI Sh\sical and mental well-EeinJ IosterinJ a cXltXre oI holistic health within schools 7he well-EeinJ oI stXdents is a IXndamental asSect oI their oYerall deYeloSment &atch-8S )rida\s Srioriti]e +ealth (dXcation to raise awareness aEoXt Sh\sical mental and emotional well-EeinJ 7hroXJh interactiYe actiYities worNshoSs and discXssions stXdents learn aEoXt health\ liIest\le choices nXtrition mental health and stress manaJement %\ eTXiSSinJ stXdents with the NnowledJe and sNills to Srioriti]e their well-EeinJ 'eS(d aims to create a school enYironment that Sromotes holistic health and sXSSorts stXdents oYerall Jrowth and sXccess

'eS(d has set -anXar\ 1 as the start date Ior the imSlementation oI &atch-8S )rida\s 7his initiatiYe will Ee rolled oXt across elementar\ and secondar\ schools as well as commXnit\ learninJ centers &/&s nationwide All )rida\s in -anXar\ will Ee dedicated to the '(A5 actiYit\ allowinJ stXdents to immerse themselYes in readinJ and imSroYe their readinJ SroIicienc\

)Xrthermore &atch-8S )rida\s will serYe as an oSSortXnit\ Ior Iield oIIicials to SroYide orientation and Jather IeedEacN Irom Iield imSlementers reJardinJ the JXidelines oI this initiatiYe 7his IeedEacN will Ee crXcial in reIininJ the SroJram and ensXrinJ its eIIectiYeness

7he imSlementation oI &atch-8S )rida\s reIlects 'eS(d s XnwaYerinJ commitment to deliYerinJ TXalit\ releYant inclXsiYe and resSonsiYe Easic edXcation &atch-8S )rida\s reSresent a SaradiJm shiIt in the PhiliSSine edXcation s\stem 'eS(d is taNinJ a comSrehensiYe aSSroach to edXcational e[cellence 7his initiatiYe acNnowledJes the diYerse needs oI learners and SroYides a SlatIorm Ior them to thriYe academicall\ sociall\ and emotionall\ %\ addressinJ learninJ JaSs intensiI\inJ 9alXes +ealth and Peace (dXcation and SromotinJ the cXltXre oI readinJ this initiatiYe aims to accelerate learninJ and nXrtXre YalXes amonJ )iliSino learners 7hroXJh these eIIorts 'eS(d striYes to emSower stXdents to Eecome well-roXnded indiYidXals who are eTXiSSed with the necessar\ sNills comSetencies and YalXes to thriYe in the 1st centXr\ &atch-8S )rida\s are Soised to Ee a catal\st Ior edXcational reIorm IosterinJ an enYironment where learners thriYe academicall\ while EecominJ comSassionate resSonsiEle and JloEall\ aware citi]ens As the edXcation sector XnderJoes this SaradiJm shiIt the riSSle eIIects are anticiSated to resonate in the classrooms and commXnities leaYinJ an indeliEle marN on the IXtXre oI edXcation in the PhiliSSines 7hXs 'eS(d s 8nYeilinJ oI &atch8S )rida\s 0arNs a %old /eaS 7oward (dXcational 7ransIormation

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