MANILA — Public schools and state colleges and universities (SUCs) are free from the influence of local government officials, education officials assured Wednesday.
During the pre-State of the Nation Address 2018 Forum at the Philippine International Convention Center, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Officer-in-Charge J. Prospero de Vera III said local government officials do not decide on the design of curricula, hiring of teachers, graduation of students, and other similar rules and regulations, which are the responsibilities of the colleges’ and universities’ respective boards of regents or trustees.
Local officials, however, are partners in the provision of education. They create college education opportunities for the poor through locally funded universities and colleges. They also serve as partners of SUCs in implementing extension programs that help communities. These roles, de Vera said, are not intrusions or exercises of political influence on the education system.
“Ang tingin ho namin diyan, ang mga local governments ay kakampi ng pamahalaan dahil nagbibigay po ng pondo ang local government sa pagpatakbo ng mga local universities and colleges (We think the local governments are one with the national government because they provide funds for the operation of local universities and colleges),” he said. These funds supplement the allocation from the national government.
Local universities and colleges are owned by local governments unlike state universities and colleges, which are funded by the national government.
Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones said the delineation of responsibilities of the local and national governments is clear.
Briones explained that DepEd is tasked to deal with the implementation of the laws pertaining to basic education and resolve issues related to it.
“Sa pagpili naman ng mga guro, division superintendents, regional directors, at highest officials ay nasa presidente. Yan ay maliwanag sa Konstitusyon at itinuro yan sa atin nung bata pa tayo (The selection of teachers, division superintendents, regional directors, and highest officials is up to the President. It is clear in the Constitution and that taught to us since we were young),” she said.