Educational Resources and Services Closer to Learners

By: Chester C. Cortez, Librarian I

The Aquino government, which assumed office in June 2010, put in place the 10-Point Educational Plan to fast track progress towards achievement of the Millennium Development and Education For All (MDG/ EFA) goals. As of school year (SY) 2012, the Department of Education (DepEd) is introducing the new K to 12 curriculum; commencing with Kindergarten in SY 2011-2012, Grade 1 and Grade 7 in SY 2012-2013, with Grade 2 and Grade 8 in SY 2013-2014.

To meet the demands of the new curriculum and the increased enrollments in urban, regional and remote schools, DepEd is implementing a range of initiatives to bring educational resources and services closer to the learners nationally. The Learning Resources Management and Development System (LRMDS) developed with the assistance of the Australian Government (AusAID) under the STRIVE program is one such initiative. AusAID is continuing to assist DepEd to implement the system nationally by providing technical assistance to enhance the system and build capacity for national rollout defined by the issuance of DepEd Order 76, s. 2011.

In Region 02, only the Division LRMDS of DepEd Nueva Vizcaya was formally established and operational, providing a repository of quality learning resources in various types and formats to support teaching and learning. After the visit of DepEd Central Office Personnel, it was commended as “one of the best” entire Philippines. #ccc//7-11-14

The DepEd Nueva Vizcaya Division LRMDS is adjacent to the Boy Scouts of the Philippines Building along Mabini Street, Don Domingo Maddela,

LRMDS of Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya: One of the Best

By: Bermelita E. Guillermo, Ph.D.

The Learning Resource Management and Development Center (LRMDC) at Bayombong Nueva Vizcaya is one of the best according to the DepEd Central Office’s Internal Audit Service team, headed by Ms. Milagrios T. Taliniano, Director IV, after their inspection and evaluation of the 4.36-million worth of equipment and facilities through project support to Philippine Basic Education Reform (SPHERE) funded from a grant-in-aid through the Australian Agency for International Development (Aus AID) 2011.

The center is a product of DepEd’s Learning Resource Management and Development System, whose need was identified through the research conducted during STRIVE Phase 1 on 2007 in Regions 7 and 8. Research findings showed that the desired 1:1 textbook: student ratio did not exist in most schools surveyed; most teachers had no teacher manuals; teachers were having to use their own money to augment the instructional resources in the schools; the schools which lost their textbook collection because of calamities do not get replacements; and, that few supplementary materials are available at the schools.

The LRMDC at Nueva Vizcaya aims to support coordinated and integrated access to quality resources for use by students and teachers in the province. It was formally opened last May 12, 2014 after its blessing graced by Msgr. Edmund Beronio, parish priest of Saint Dominic, Bayombong.