Search for top performing public schools to be institutionalized

BAGUIO CITY May 16 – The City Council approved on first reading a proposed ordinance institutionalizing the Search for the Best Performing Public School in the city, establishing the guidelines and providing funds for the said purpose.

The ordinance, authored by Councilor Leandro B. Yangot, Jr., stated the measure aims to encourage or motivate all school internal and external stakeholders to help school learners improve their academic and behavioural performance, specifically, increase the achievement test performance of learners, improve the school environmental factors and provide rewards or incentives to high performing schools.

Among the identified methodologies and strategies to be adopted include advocacy covering division memoranda and meetings; monitoring and evaluation ranging from the school visitation by search team and school reports or records and analysis; reporting, monitoring and evaluation that covers written reports and documentation of meetings; and, awarding with the provision of monetary and certificates.

The ordinance provided that the criteria for the search will be performance key indicators, such as latest national achievement test (NAT) results – 30 percent, dropout rate – 10 percent and Parents Teachers Community Association (PTA) participation – 15 percent; funds or maintenance and operating expenses utilization such as submission of liquidation reports – 5 percent, quality or appropriateness of liquidation – 7 percent, presence of transparency board – 3 percent and school environmental factors such as school discipline of learners, teachers, non-teaching personnel, school head, such as minimizing bullying – 5 percent, health condition of learners and personnel – 5 percent.

In recognition of the schools that have scaled in improving the academic and behavioural performance of the school learners, Yangot revealed the best performing schools shall be conferred a plaque of recognition and cash prizes to the champion, first, second and third runnersup, respectively and plaque of recognition to all participating schools.

Yangot claimed

evaluation of the implementation and long-term impact of the project shall be done by the Schools Division Superintendent, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent, Education Program Supervisor, and other representatives of stakeholders.

Based on the records of the Department of Education–Cordillera for the past years, the Division of Baguio City elementary and secondary school human resources have been provided with substantive training.

Moreover, physical, financial and other forms of resources have been provided to the schools and several projects and programs such as the schoolbased management, national competency best teachers standards, and the like, have also been instituted.

However, Yangot cited in the NAT, the learners did not perform well as expected and records show that learners allegedly failed to attain the national standards of 75 percent mastery level.

Yangot added in order to address the pressing concern, the City Schools Division must come out with an innovate project such as the Search for the Best Performing elementary and Secondary School and provide multi-faceted rewards to motivate the school internal and external stakeholders to cooperate in helping the schools to excel. Dexter A. See