DepEd officials undergo management training to push reform agenda

One hundred thirteen middle level managers of the Department of Education (DepEd) had undergone management and leadership training with the Meralco Management and Leadership Development Center (MMLDC) funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said that the management training for the DepEd officers was part of DepEd’s serious bid to institutionalize good management at the department. AusAID’s financial support for the implementation of DepEd’s Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA) was very helpful in the pursuit of retooling these managers, he added.

The Australian Government, one of the country’s largest bilateral grant donors, has earmarked some A$30 million (approximately P1.03 billion) to DepEd in 2008, giving it a wider financial berth to pursue its BESRA.

“Our core competence can only be as strong as the skill that each member of this organization possesses. This is why we are investing in the retooling of our people,” Lapus said.

BESRA is a package of policy reforms that aims to put in place an education system that is able to deliver a sustainable quality education for all Filipino children. “DepEd must have managers who are strategists and visionaries and who can provide the momentum to sustain our education reform agenda,” explained Lapus.

The midlevel managers from DepEd central and regional offices underwent a 43-day training by the MMLDC for the Philippines Australia Human Resource Development Facility (PAHRDF) and DepEd.

Participants were trained to demonstrate improved appreciation of their roles and apply innovative leadership techniques to help nurture and develop staff competencies.

The managers also received 35 days of Executive Coaching from October-November 2008. PAHRDF fielded several coaches to provide face to face coaching for the participants in their respective workplace for the implementation of their Leadership Action Plan.