Espino vows more aid for public schools

Espino vows more aid for public schools

LINGAYEN--- Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. vowed to extend continuous assistance to the field agencies of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Pangasinan for them to attain their targets on quality education.

The assurance was expressed by the Governor during the question hour of the third regular session of the 7th Sangguniang Panlalawigan where heads of the various schools divisions were invited to enlighten the members of the legislative body on matters involving the needs of the education community.

The governor, however, reminded the education officials of their duties and responsibilities of informing on time the provincial government about the status of funds released to them by the national government, including financial aids secured from other sources, such as the development funds of senators and congressmen.

“We are always ready to help, especially during calamities, but we need to be properly and promptly informed of the necessities,” the governor said, as he pointed out that there are times the provincial government experiences budgetary lack owing to unexpected natural disasters.

“We should be informed as much as possible to know exactly your status, yet you do not even furnish us where budget for the repairs of classrooms were channeled,” he said.
Invited during the question hour were Dr. Viraluz Raguindin, schools division superintendent of Pangasinan II, Dr. Shiela Maria Sison, assistant schools division superintendent of Pangasinan I, City Schools Superintendents Rowena Banzon (San Carlos City) and Maria Celia Fernandez (Urdaneta City) and Wilfredo Sindayen, acting city schools superintendent of Alaminos City.

The province’s most important resource is human resource, the governor stressed, as he called on the school authorities to focus more on approaches aimed at improving the climate of learning in the public school system.

In the same occasion, the Governor urged the school officials to be more circumspect in implementing programs designed to spruce up the learning environment, especially to make available sanitary comfort rooms and drinking water facilities for the school children.

“As much as possible, we should avoid using stones as decorative fences as these could be harmful to the grade schoolers,” the governor said.

The school officials thanked the governor for his commitment of support, citing, among others, the donation by the provincial government of new service vehicles, the repair and construction of school rooms and the continuing assistance to DepEd’s sports development program.

They also sought the SP’s intervention for the review of the localization law, particularly on the provision pertaining to hiring and promotion of teachers.

Board Member Jeremy Agerico Rosario, acting SP presiding officer and chairman of the Education Committee, called for maximization and utilization of the Special Education Fund (SEF) which, he said, is a trust fund intended for the repair and construction of school buildings and the purchase of learning materials.

He also batted to activate the Local School Board in every municipality and in the province.
He said it is high time for teachers to be aware and vigilant of their right to know how the SEF is used and spent which is a ready fund before thinking of any other sources. (PIO/Rafael Manuel III)