DepEd Chief Shares PH’s Achievements in Education with Filipino Community in Belgium

Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega (fifth from left) and the officers of the Philippine Embassy in Brussels welcome Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones and her delegation, including the Philippine Permanent Delegation to UNESCO. (Brussels PE photo)

BRUSSELS 15 January 2019 —Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones met with the Filipino Community in Belgium on 05 December 2018 at the Philippine Embassy in Brussels.

Secretary Briones said that she welcomed the opportunity to meet with kababayans overseas to share with them the achievements of the Philippine government in the field of education.

Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega welcomed the Secretary and her delegation from the Department of Education (DepEd), as well as the more than 30 members of the Filipino Community from all over Belgium, including Brussels, Brugge, Ghent and Leuven.

Secretary Briones gave a briefing on DepEd’s latest initiatives, including the implementation of the K-12 program, and efforts to improve access to education and to boost compensation and benefits for teachers.

The Education Secretary also discussed the agency’s campaign to ensure the transformative gains in the quality of basic education in the Philippines, which include improving the employability and global competitiveness of Filipino students, developing critical thinking, life skills and socio-emotional skills, and promoting the teaching of societal values and national identity.

Secretary Briones then engaged the Filipino community in dialogue, responding to their concerns on the rising costs of education, issues facing Lumad schools, and how overseas Filipinos can contribute including in—among other things—raising funds for the building of classrooms.

The Secretary said that officially former Bayan Muna Partylist Representative accredited Lumad schools are not being closed but that there were other issues surrounding the case involving Satur Ocampo and the Lumad school in Talaingod.

On the question of DepEd’s involvement in the Philippine Government’s Campaign to End Violence against Women and Children, the Secretary said that the DepEd actively participates in this campaign and has this included in their programs.

Secretary Briones and her delegation were in Brussels to attend the 2018 Global Education Meeting, which was convened by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and hosted by Belgium on 03-05 December 2018.  END

For more information, visit www.brusselspe.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinBelgium.

Ambassador to Belgium Eduardo José A. de Vega introduces Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones, citing her many accomplishments in the academe and government. (Brussels PE photo)

Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones delivers her presentation to the Filipino Community on the Philippine government’s initiatives in education. (Brussels PE photo)