CEBU, Philippines — The Cebu Chapter president of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines yesterday said the Department of Education should work closely with the local school boards in the appointment of district supervisors.
According to Liloan Mayor Christina Garcia-Frasco, this coordination is supposed to be required under the law.
“First of all, we need to remember the law. Section 99 of the Local Government Code states that in the appointment of division superintendents, district supervisors, school principals, and other DepEd personnel, there shall be coordination with the local school boards,” Frasco said in Cebuano during the convention of the Provincial School Board yesterday.
She cited one incident in Liloan in which the local school board was not allegedly consulted on the appointment of a district supervisor.
This despite a resolution already issued by the Liloan School Board recommending another candidate and the issuance by the Sangguniang Bayan of an objection to DepEd’s appointment.
Although Frasco said the case has already been resolved upon the appointment of a new district supervisor, she emphasized that the sidestepping of the requirement could sever the relationship between LGUs and the DepEd.
“Akong experience in the past three years, lisod jud kaayo ang among giagian. Di man gud lalim nga mangulo ka ug usa ka lungsod nga ang head sa DepEd dili makig-coordinate nimo. Especially considering na ang number one priority namo really is education,” Frasco said.
Daanbantayan Mayor Sun Shimura, who was also present at the meeting as one of the members of the LMP board of directors, described this move by DepEd to sidestep the consultation process as "very insulting" to him and his fellow mayors.
For her part, DepEd Cebu division schools superintendent Rhea Mar Angtud promised to cooperate with the province more on issues faced by the education sector and the LGUs.
Another related issue raised during the meeting was the need for a strengthened coordination between the DepEd and LGUs in the construction of school buildings to avoid project duplication in one government lot.
The meeting, which threshed out issues concerning the state of the public elementary and secondary schools in the province, was also attended by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
Resolutions for a closer coordination between LGUs and DepED in response to the problems raised during the school board shall be read and approved within the next school board meeting on September 20. — JMD (FREEMAN)