GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines and Secretary of Education Sara Z. Duterte underscored the critical role of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) in the 1st DepEd National Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Conference conducted from June 20 to 22.
The conference aims to: (a) set the direction of DepEd’s M&E system; (b) provide updates on the global and national M&E practices; (c) discuss the principles and standards of M&E; (d) discuss the M&E strategies and mechanisms of DepEd in doing M&E, and; (e) promote cooperation among DepEd program managers and staff to support M&E initiatives across governance levels.
“It empowers us to create and refine education reforms based on data and evidence, guiding us toward better-informed decisions for the benefit of our learners,” Vice President and Secretary Duterte said in her message.
“M&E is more than a procedural exercise—it breathes life into our organization, fostering transparency and accountability and a culture of continuous learning and improvement,” Her Excellency explained.
VP-Sec. Duterte noted that the timely theme of “M&E for Improved Basic Education Governance” underscores the necessary efforts to strengthen the education system in these challenging times.
“The M&E Conference resonates profoundly with our MATATAG Agenda, symbolizing our unwavering promise to deliver accessible, quality, and equitable education for our learners,” VP-Sec. Duterte noted.
During the three-day conference, participants from DepEd, Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE), and select DepEd partners gathered to gain insights and learnings on M&E concepts, approaches, and strategies discussed in the forum and breakout conference sessions.
Among the vital topics discussed in the forum were the Anchoring M&E to the MATATAG Agenda and Basic Education Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (BEMEF) Policy; Measuring Learning Proficiency amid the Learning Crisis; National Evaluation Policy Framework (NEPF) and National Practices on M&E; the Importance of Evaluations in the Education Sector; and the Utilization of Evaluation Findings in Policy Formulation.
Meanwhile, DepEd’s development and government partners conducted breakout sessions to discuss important concepts in developing the M&E framework, establishing the purpose and scope of M&E, gathering the right information, analyzing data, and communicating findings.
Furthermore, the forum also tackled M&E mechanisms in DepEd which includes discussion of the existing data management and information systems such as the Learner Information System, Basic Education Information System, National School Building Inventory and the Program Management Information System as tools for M&E.
Spearheaded by the Planning Service – Policy Research and Development Division (PS-PRDD), the 1st DepEd National M&E Conference 2023 served as a platform for dialogue on how community of practice could fully support the BEMEF and contribute to the realization of MATATAG Agenda and BEDP 2030. (DepEd)
