A Heartfelt Letter to DepEd and CHED

Dear DepEd and CHED:

Naimbag nga aldaw!
On behalf of all my fellow Filipinos, I would like to thank you so much for your efforts in upgrading the state of education in our country. I have followed your doings and dealings, and all I can say is that you have soldiered on. Though you do not rise to the occasion sometimes, we still believe that much needs to be done in order that our educational system in the Philippines would be on par with those from other parts of the world. We have been witnesses to how you, DepEd and CHED, have prevailed in educating our learners of all ages despite moving the date of the opening of classes to the fourth quarter of the year. Better late than never, for education lives on forever.

As an educator myself, I am speaking on behalf of my fellow teachers and fellow Filipinos. I understand that it is much difficult for you to work on a skeletal basis and that you are unwavering in your aim to equip our learners with requisite, necessary intellectual and real-life skills. I am not here to count all your shortcomings and travesties, for it would defeat the purpose of having a heart-to-heart talk with you, but to be of help to you and to encourage to upgrade your programs, skills, and methods of getting things done.

To the top officials:

Please be truthful when it comes to admitting your inadequacies and transgressions. We do not expect perfection but excellence, accountability, and honesty because we are all partners in educating our learners. Eighty years of government-instituted and formalized educational system in our country may be in its infancy compared to educational systems of first-world countries, but I strongly believe that you can be more alacritous in attending to our learners’ and educators’ needs.

We all need to be publicly and promptly informed of the programs and edicts that your respective regulatory bodies are to release to the public. You do not need to have a separate accreditation system for training businesses who wish to be accredited; rather, I suggest that you partner with other relevant regulatory bodies such as the Professional Regulations Commission so that we all could save time, money, and blood, sweat, and tears. Please do not make your policies so esoteric that we are not abreast of the developments. Moreover, please take care of our teachers and auxiliary staff of all schools because they form the backbone of our educational system.

I applaud you for trying to implement reforms, but please never give up! We are behind you, but please make us your active partners!

To our teachers:

I am so proud of you for soldiering on when it comes to teaching and learning! I understand that you have some shortcomings which emanate from being tired, overworked, and underpaid. You have never ceased to amaze us all! We know that you are being undervalued and are underrated, but please do not surrender in the face of pressure or defeat because teachers are the real victors (apart from students and supportive parents and guardians) in the battles against illiteracy, incompetence, corruption, and exploitation.

Just remember that when you are outside or inside your classes, please be paragons of strength, resilience, humility, and propriety. Do not be swallowed by envy, deceit, spite, or jadedness because many of us are praying for you.

Love your students and do not disregard them whenever they commit mistakes. Please be patient with them and be kind to them. Do not abandon them in the dark, especially for those who need much guidance and love, because our learners trust us and believe us and in us.
Upgrade yourselves by learning continuously. It will be worth the effort and the hurt because you’ll be much better educational leaders and individuals!

To our learners:
We salute you for never wavering in your quest to be better educated despite the pandemic! We are proud of you for doing your best to learn! However, please learn how to love and respect your elders because you are good by nature and you are being prepared for a very vibrant and progressive future. Learn how to tame your desires and to delay your gratification because these may cause you to waver, which we do not want to see happening to you.

To those who have dropped out, please go back to school. Do not hinder yourselves from learning again and from starting all over. We are all here to support you!

To those who have gone astray, please remember that God is waiting for you to reform your ways! Concentrate on school and do good!
DepEd and CHED, we are all counting on you to help us be in good stead!

Sincerely yours,
Your Ilocano Educator#