A Tale of a New DepEd Division

TEACHING is never just a job. There is nothing more inspiring than having a mind unfold before you. Henry Brooks Adams says more: "A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence ends." More than enough reason, therefore, to take a good look at the educational set-up of our community.

Five years ago, the DepEd Division of the Island Garden City of Samal started to wean itself from the mother division of Davao del Norte. Last April 2008, the separation was complete and Samal DepEd is now an independent division.

The year 2008 is turning out to be a great year. The young division ranks second in the elementary level among the 10 school divisions in Region 11 in the National Achievement Test. It is highly competitive with the other nine divisions in the other academic and non-academic competitions.

Although newly organized, it has well-formulated vision and mission statements. The vision reads: "A school's division of character and competence committed to the accessibility and pursuit of quality basic education that shall prepare the learners for global competitiveness through the empowered shareholders."

This is the mission statement: "To provide access to quality basic education to all. To equip its learners with necessary and relevant skills, knowledge and attitudes through maximum utilization of resources and active participation among policy-makers, school heads, teachers, parents and community in order to make them competent, value-laden, environment friendly, self-reliant, patriotic and socially-responsible graduates."

Full Story
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2008/09/19/oped/roger.p..antalan.dateline.igacos.html
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