Group formed to review textbook laws, policies

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has formed a group that will review the effectiveness of existing laws, policies and rules on the development and procurement of textbooks and other learning resources.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones signed a memorandum creating a technical working group that will assess policies governing the development and selection, evaluation of content and the procurement and delivery of learning materials used by public schools.

“The provision of learning resources is crucial in the successful implementation of the K to 12 Basic Education Program,” she said in the memorandum.

“It has been observed that laws, issuances and agency practice have imposed rigidities or lengthened processes that cause major delays in the selection, manuscript development, printing, and delivery of textbooks and learning resources,” she added.

The group will be led by Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio as chairperson, with Undersecretaries Nepomuceno Malaluan, Tonisito Umali and Josephine Maribojoc as members.

Also part of the group are Assistant Secretaries Salvador Malana and Ruby Torio, Book Development Board executive director Jerry Tizon and officials of various DepEd offices.