DepEd calls for research proposals to reinforce BE-LCP

The author is Teacher III at Balagtas National Agricultural High School Christel Anne C. Mercado

The Department of Education had announced a call for research proposals to reinforce and strengthen its Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP), in line with the theme “Supporting and Assessing Learning Continuity and Mother TongueBased Multilingual Education Materials and Development”. According to DepEd officials, research is vital for the Department to keep moving forward and evolving. This initiative will help the agency address pressing issues, especially in relation to the delivery of quality of education. DepEd, through the Policy Research and Development Division (PRDD) under Planning Service (PS), had opened its submission of research proposals to reinforce the link of research to education processes through utilization, dissemination, and advocacies. The chosen proposal will be given a grant of up to P500,000, which will be distributed in three (3) tranches, under the Basic Education Research Fund (BERF). The initiative aims to improve the policies, programs, and activities relevant to the implementation of the BE-LCP. In support of the BE-LCP, there are seven areas of priority identified for the research; (1) Most Essential Learning Competencies; (2) Implementation of multiple learning delivery modalities/ improved learning environment; (3) Preparing teachers and school leaders/ teacher upskilling and reskilling; (4) Health standards in school and workplace; (5) Reconfiguration of annual opening activities and partnerships; (6) Finance, procurement, and delivery; and (7) Monitoring, evaluation, and adjustments. In this call for national research, the DepE specifically invited everyone to conduct research on specific areas that were identified in the call for proposals. To be eligible for the grant, applicants, whether teaching or non-teaching personnel, should hold a regular job position in the Department, should not have any pending administrative cases, and should not have yet availed the grant for the current year. Each team can only have a maximum of three (3) members. The intention for this will be to help DepEd build the evidence so that we can further craft better policies that will address the pressing problems that it is currently facing. DepEd's Policy Research and Development Division encouraged personnel from different field offices and DepEd Central Office to cultivate more inclusive research, drawing from the grassroots of the Department to improve the quality of education in all corners of the country.