Had DepEd already forgotten the rural public schools?

Good Day!

WITH regard to the current educational condition of our country, several matters have had left myself dismayed, and I don't think the Department of Education (DepEd) is fulfilling all of their duties and responsibilities to the Filipinos in providing the best quality education we could ever acquire.

Throughout the years, DepEd has been bragging everything they have done which, “according to them,” had somehow uplifted the status of our nation's public-education system. Relevant to this are the implementation of different programs that aim to upgrade the status quo of our education, such as the ICT Education program implemented in a number of secondary public schools nationwide, the Special Science Classes (SSCs), though implemented in selected schools only, but still is implemented nationwide, and etc. However, it is very illogical for the department to think that with the implementation of these programs, they have already improvised and developed the condition of our educational system. I am not saying that these programs are of no-help and will not improve our system of education. What I'm trying to point out is that implementing programs alone is useless. There should always be a follow-up execution and actions for the further advancement of the program which, in effect, will definitely benefit those who are experiencing the program, and in this case here, the students; moreover, this point here has, in my own perspective, not been paid enough attention to by the department.

For many years already, our educational system had been suffering the crucial effects of insufficient learning materials, unventilated infrastructures, lack of classrooms, and many more of the like. Somehow, DepEd had resolved some of these challenges and commonly, in the urban areas only. What now for the remote locale and rural areas? In this case, another issue arises. Apparently, it is the unequal and seemingly stratified implementation of these programs.

A concrete manifestation of this matter is the condition of the Special Science Classes (SSC) in urban areas in comparison to the state of SSCs in rural localities. Most Special Science Classes in the cities have more advanced laboratory equipments than that of the rural places, which obviously is unfair to the part of the SSC students studying in those schools.

The uproar now of these public schools are: "Had DepEd already forgotten us?"; "Did they just implement these kinds of programs for the sake of the term 'implemented' and to be able to look good in the eyes of the unknowing people?"; "Is it the local offices of DepEd failing to fulfill or aren't fulfilling their duties?"

The conditions of these Special Science Classes nationwide are just only one example of the (somewhat) stratified implementation of programs by the Department of Education. That is why we, in the rural public schools, clamor for DepEd's attention to observe fair and even implementation of their programs. And not just only implementation alone but also implementation with follow-up actions.

Mae Abegail O. Mercado
1899Z S.Borces St. Mabolo Cebu City

NOTE: I am just only a student and am currently studying in the University of San Carlos. I wrote this letter because of my concern for my previous alma matter, which was a public school and until now is still enduring the problems for acquiring quality education that will cater her students. I hope that this letter be published so that those in the authority are informed for all the struggles we have undergone and is still experiencing. I want to let our voice, the voice of the youth be heard! Thank you and more power! Godspeed...