08/24/2011 | 07:39 PM
The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Ateneo School of Government have launched the initial implementation of checkmyschool.org,
a technology-based mechanism that helps citizens track the condition,
services, and facilities in the country’s public schools.
By logging in to checkmyschool.org, the public can have access to
information on a particular school’s budget, enrolment, teaching
personnel, furniture, textbooks, classrooms, toilets, test performance
and proficiency ratings, among others.
The site facilitates interaction and allows users to send comments,
photos, videos and additional information. The public may use the
information like an independent third-party monitor of government
performance in providing education services.
According to DepEd secretary Armin Luistro, the initiative takes
advantage of information and communication technology to promote
transparency and social accountability in public sector governance.
“Because it allows the public to send feedback on a particular school
condition, it brings education-related concerns into the bigger arena of
public scrutiny and appreciation," said Luistro.
The pilot implementation of checkmyschool.org, which runs from August 22
to September 2, 2011, involves volunteer orientation, validation of
information on available school services, reporting and closing.
The pilot sites are National Capital Region, Pampanga, Pangasinan,
Rizal, baguio, Benguet, Tacloban City, Leyte, Zamboanga City, Pagadian
City, Cebu City, Iloilo, Davao City and North Cotabato.
Checkmyschool.org is a joint undertaking of DepEd and the Affiliated
Network for Social Accountability in East Asia and the Pacific where the
Ateneo School of Government serves as secretariat.
“Through this information-sharing project, we hope to enjoin the public
and the private sector to contribute in closing education resource gaps
that continue to hound our public schools. At the same time, it will
give us feedback on how we can give better service to our stakeholders,"
Luistro explained.
Preliminary information in the website came from the different units of
DepEd such as the Basic Education Information System, Physical
Facilities and Schools Engineering Division, Instructional Materials
Council Secretariat, Procurement Service, National Education Testing and
Research Center and the budget office.
Updates on school information will come from school administrators, volunteers, and organizations in each local school.
The public may give feedback in many ways. They can validate or
invalidate the accuracy of reported services, express satisfaction or
dissatisfaction, or suggest ways to improve performance or offer to
assist the school.
“Direct feedback from citizens is always welcome because they reflect
the immediate, on- the- ground needs of schools," Luistro added.
To date, some 8,000 of more than 44,000 public elementary and high
schools nationwide are included in the initial run of checkmyschool.org. — Newsbytes.ph
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