Reseach during the time of pandemic

Princess R. Jacinto

In response to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) mandate to provide a complete, adequate, and relevant basic education services, the Planning Service – Policy Research and Development Division (PS-PRD) launched Research O’Clock.

In partnership with the Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Philippines, Research O’Clock aims to provide a platform to share evidence in basic education sector and engage various stakeholders in meaningful discussions on the issues, concerns, and problems that affect the delivery of quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education to the Filipino learners.

Research o'Clock has continued even during the pandemic, to support the continuing implementation of the Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan with the theme Evidence in Learning Continuity.

It aims to provide a deeper understanding of how the BE-LCP responds to the basic education needs of the learners.

Individual episodes highlighted emerging evidence of effective practices and innovations in continually providing quality and inclusive basic education under a public health emergency.

The research forum virtually engaged stakeholders nationwide and aided the DepEd in upholding quality and right of the Filipino learners for basic education.

The Department has policy interventions that guide all governance levels to strengthen the internal processes and systems towards evidence-based decision-making.

The Policy Development Process (DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2015) provides for systematic, evidence-based, and participatory mechanisms that is supported by the adoption of the Basic Education Research Agenda (DepEd Order No. 39, s. 2016) and establishment of Research Management Guidelines (DO 16, s. 2017).

Gone are the days when policies, or DepEd orders or memoranda are issued by one office. Now there are lot of collaborations, cooperation prior to the issuance of any DepEd, department orders or memorandum, officials said.

Times are changing brought about by developments in ICT, brought about by developments in the international scene, and it is incumbent upon the Department of Education to ensure that it analyzes what is happening, and try to influence the policies of the department because whatever they do will impact the children in the future, officials said.

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The author is Teacher at Lolomboy National High School

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