Tuburan NHS awardee for best implementer of school-to-school partnership
The Department of Education ( DepEd) believes that highperforming schools can be tools for reform. Through school- to-school partnerships (DepEd order No. 44, s.2016), high-performing schools can share their best practices and help other schools improve their school performance. In this sense, high- performing school become Leader Schools with active leadership’s roles, initiating partnerships with other schools and taking on bigger responsibilities to help develop the performance of other schools within their District or Division.
The basis of choosing the Leader Schools was based on the Performance Based Bonus ( PBB) last school year 2014 these are the schools categorized as level 5 to 8; in contrast Partner Schools are the schools categorized as level 1 to 4.
Tub ur an National High School is one of the chosen high- performing schools in the Division of Capiz, thus, the school has a greater accountability in the implementation of the said partnership with his Partner School Florentina B. Degala National High School. It is said in the DepEd memorandum that the Leader schools shall receive funds to provide technical support and assistance to nearby schools that have not yet reached their full potential in school performance. These funds shall be used by Leader Schools for sharing their best practices and for partnership activities with their nearby Partner Schools.
Both Principals of two school work collaborative ly in order to come up a good projects. A comparison was made between the priority programs of both schools in order to identify the commonalities of needs to be addressed. The outcome of the discussion served as a starting point for the specific projects to be included in the school to school partnership which will benefit both schools. The projects identified are in consonance with the approved SIP of leader and partner schools. These were included under access, quality, and governance. The following projects had been agreed; covered-footwalk, material recovery facility, water collector, kitchen tools and garden equipment.
The implementation of School- to- School Partnership is not easy; it takes a lot of efforts and sacrifices to makes things happened. However, with the help of collaborative efforts of both schools and the people behind it the said partnership was successfully done and implemented. The concept of school to school partnership was built around the principle of stewardship. For those who often shy away from responsibilities, stewardship typically sounds more of a burden than a blessing. There’s always that somebody lame and dependent to be taken care of, always tagging along waiting for somebody to lean on and be relied upon. Such is the common notion that discourages one to enter into such relationship. A person would rather decide to trudge into any undertaking alone than be answerable to a partner’s unrelenting and blaming questions if the partnership’s outcome is left to be desired.
Maria Bambi L. Billanes, Principal I of TNHS said: ”A glimpse on the other side of the fence would show that the merits of success brought about by individual pursuit is more rewarding. Be that as it is. But wouldn’t this become a looking glass of selfishness?”
A scrutiny of successful and realized goals show that the partners’ joined forces guarantee a more fulfilling and meaningful result. This should be the motivating factor for forging partnerships. In the process, more lives will be touched. Roles are defined, responsibilities are lighter, and interdependence is established.
Some resistance, uncertainty and credulousness though unvoiced, when school to school partnership was announced, pervaded the general atmosphere. “Why not give it directly to the recipient instead of sharing it with a partner?” “Shouldn’t the choice for a partner school be the prerogative of the leader school?” “What’s the basis for the partnership? ” “We’re a small school and still taking our little steps, we’re not capable of handling a leader schools’ responsibilities.” “Give it to bigger schools.” “What’s in it for us?” These were some of the questions and reactions of the schools lined up for school to school partnership.
However, as the partnership progresses, all apprehensions evaporated and an appreciation of each one’s efforts surfaced. Problems cropped up, some expected others, unforeseen. Along the way, there were inconsistencies, differences in opinions and decisions, acceptance of shortcomings, agreements, positivity, and more importantly FRIENDSHIP. Partner schools have become each other’s shoulder to lean on, a rock of support for each other. ( Paid article)