On Philippine Curriculum Development: Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA),

A Voice Years Ago

Frenchelle Nacar

I. Introduction

Our world does not stop in pursuing its endless quest for change, a change that boosts
positive transformation towards building an inclusive, highly industrial and sustainable realm.
It has been observed that there are rapid changes in our present milieu. The cybernetic era
where information and scientific knowledge is computerized for example, is now ready to shift
into wider perspective of knowledge explosion or known as artificial intelligence. Likewise, the
emergence of advance technologies in the field of medicine, agriculture, engineering,
multimedia and economic business are vitally engaged to concur with the needs of society.
These scenarios show fast-phase development that triggers several areas to evolve in more
advanced level. One among these areas is education, our passport to the future.

Education as priority focus in the Philippines has undergone several stages of

development, as same with its school curriculum that undergone several revisions and
innovations. These changes were made in order to cater the changing needs and demands of
society. Given the context of the Philippine educational system as dynamically changing, the
curriculum development is also viewed as a never-ending process or it is not just a static
product.

Before the K to 12 curriculum, the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA)
proposal were progressively refined and in 2005, there was wide spread consensus on the need
for urgent sector-wide strategies that would place schools first and empower local communities
to take initiative to achieve school improvement. And so, DepEd is pursuing a package of policy
reforms that as a whole seeks to systematically improve basic education provision, access and
delivery on the ground.

BESRA is an interrelated package of policies and actions intended to bring about a

fundamental change in how education is delivered across the basic education sector, and in how
reforms in the basic education sector are planned and implemented.

This technical report about BESRA has been made in order to present facts and
information regarding with the. There are many important reasons why BESRA is a truly
positive set of policy reform initiatives. The most important reason is that the educational
philosophy underlying the various components of BESRA. All components of the reform
initiatives are intended to help Filipino learners to attain higher levels of learning and
achievement. The higher levels of learning are defined in terms of cognitive and affective
knowledge in the major learning areas that would allow the learner to effectively participate in
diverse and complex life situations beyond the school and to continue life learning.

Teachers are the key agents of BESRA. As the new dawn rises, the new evolution for
Philippine education steers up where we, 21st century teachers being the main implementers of
the curricular changes is the key to achieve its full transformation segment. And so, the focus is
on improving student learning processes and outcomes through promotion of how activities
spring from, or connect with this reform framework.
II. Body of the Report

The country’s education strategy is anchored on the Education for All (EFA) 2015 Plan
and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which aim to provide an
overarching policy framework for basic education with a vision that all Filipinos will acquire
basic competencies. Those particular challenges for basic education have been acknowledge by
the country’s leaders and educators and there have been important gains made in the last
decade (Embing, 2012).

Throughout the Philippine education history, important initiatives on rationalization

were introduced by the Department of Education (DepEd), following the passage of the
Governance of Basic Education Act (Republic Act RA 9155) in 2001 with its emphasis on its
declaration that “the school shall be the heart of the formal education system.”

Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA)

According to Llego (2020), DepEd implemented the Schools First Initiative, an effort to
improve basic education outcomes through a broadly participated, popular movement featuring
a wide variety of initiatives undertaken by individual schools and communities as well as
networks of schools at localities involving school districts and divisions, local governments, civil
society organizations and other stakeholder groups and associations.

This shall be known as the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA) which is a
package of policy reforms that as a whole seeks to systematically improve critical regulatory,
institutional, structural, financial, cultural, physical and informational conditions affecting basic
education provision, access and delivery on the ground. It aims to create a basic education
sector that is capable of attaining the country’s Education for All Objectives by the year 2015.

Over the past several years, there have been numerous attempts at “reforming” basic
education in the Philippines. These initiatives include, inter alia, the proposals of the 1991
Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM); the 2000 Presidential Commission on
Education Reform (PCER); the 2000 Education for All (EFA) Assessment; the 2006 National
Action Plan for Education for All, and the 2006 Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA)
(Poblador, 2012). 

In 2005, the DepEd conceptualized the Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA),
which includes the proposal to add two more years to the elementary and secondary school
cycle. Educators have lauded BESRA, an initiative based on extensive consultations and a
combination of best practices in different schools, as a comprehensive and progressive program
of DepEd (Lapeñ a, 2010). 

__________________
1
Embing, E. (2012, March 23). BESRA Report. SlideShare.net. Retrieved April 28, 2020, from
https://www.slideshare.net/evangelinedembing/besra-report-powerpoint
2
Llego, M.A. (2020, April). Basic Education Sector Agenda (BESRA). TeacherPh.com. Retrieved April 28,
2020, from https://www.teacherph.com/besra/
3
Poblador, N. (2012, May 2). Basic Education in the Philippines: Beyond Reform, Beyond Transformation.
Philippine Basic Education. Retrieved April 25, 2020, from
https://www.philippinesbasiceducation.us/2012/05/on-besra-voice-years-ago.html
4
Lapeña, G.C. (2010, June 17). BESRA for Beginners. GMA News.TV related. Retrieved April 26, 2020, from
https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/specialreports/193703/besra-for-beginners/story/
Overall Objectives of BESRA

According to Bautista (2005), the following summarizes the BESRA over-all objectives
which seek to attain the country’s “Education for All (EFA)” goals:

 1. Universal adult functional literacy. All persons beyond school-age, regardless of their levels of
schooling should acquire the essential competence to be considered functionally literate in their
native tongue, in Filipino or in English.

2. Universal school participation and elimination of drop-outs. All children aged six should enter
school ready to learn and prepared to achieve the required competencies from Grade 1 to 3
instructions.

3. Universal completion of the full cycle of basic education schooling with satisfactory achievement
levels. All children aged six to eleven should be on track to completing elementary schooling
with satisfactory achievement levels at every grade, and all children aged twelve to fifteen
should be on track to completing secondary schooling with similarly satisfactory achievement
levels at every year.

4. Total community commitment to attainment of basic education competencies for all. Every

community should mobilize all its social, political, cultural and economic resources and
capabilities to support the universal attainment of basic education competencies in Filipino and
English.

Features of BESRA

In order for the basic education sector to achieve the above listed desired educational
outcomes for all Filipinos, the BESRA focuses on specific policy actions within five key reform
thrusts (KRT) as follows by the Department of Education (2005):

KRT 1: Get all schools to continuously improve

KRT 2: Enable teachers to further enhance their contribution to learning outcomes

KRT 3: Increase social support to attainment of desired learning outcomes

KRT 4: Improve impact on outcomes from complementary early childhood education,

alternative learning systems and private sector participation

KRT 5: Change institutional culture of DepED to better support these key reform thrusts

In short, the five key reform thrusts of BESRA are on: schools, teachers, social support to
learning, complementary interventions, and DepEd’s institutional culture (DepEd, 2005).

__________________
5
Bautista, M.B. (2005). The Promise of Redemption: BESRA and the Need for Higher Education Reform.
Retrieved April 28, 2020, from JetFlash JRMC:\Documents and Settings\communications officer\My
Documents\FNF\Liberal Leadership Training\Education\Texts\ The Promise of Redemption: BESRA and the Need
for Higher Education Reform BESRA.doc
6
Department of Education (2005, August). Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (2006-2010). Retrieved
April 28, 2020, from http://www.fnf.org.ph/downloadables/Basic%20Education%20Sector%20Reform
%20Agenda.pdf
7
Ibid.
8
Ibid.,pp. 3-4.
 The government promised, under the Basic Education Reform Agenda, to remove all
hurdles limiting access to and delivery of basic education, whether regulatory, structural,
financial or institutional. The policy involved five key thrusts: (1) school-based management;
(2) the development of teacher education; (3) national learning strategies; (4) quality assurance
and accountability; and (5) changes to the administration of DepEd, using the latest technology
to ensure more effective use of resources, whether staff or funds.

Department of Education (2005) explained that these Key Reform Thrusts (KRTs) are
essential and hereby expounded below:

Key Reform Thrust 1: School-level stakeholders improve their own schools continuously.

Significance: Schools are the community-based social institutions that provide the most widely
available formally organized instruction, which is expected to enable students to learn and
thereby attain their desired educational outcomes. If schools are to deliver better outcomes in a
sustainable manner, the key stakeholders, within the school and the community served by the
school, must be enabled and empowered to manage their school-level affairs so that they
deliberately and continuously improve the link between their own efforts and their collectively
desired educational outcomes. The central insight of this reform thrust is that people most
actively and directly involved in and affected by the schools’ operations are the best people to
improve the quality of these schools.

Progress in this key reform thrust will be indicated by:

1. Increased percentages of all public schools that have current school improvement plans (SIP)
prepared, implemented and monitored through a participatory process led by school heads
working with organized school governing councils (SGC).

2. Increased percentages of public schools with SIP's prepared, implemented and monitored
thru a participatory process that meets specific quality dimensions included in an SIP
assessment instrument. (These quality dimensions include: linkage of SIP activities with
improved learning outcomes; depth or level of community participation; priority given to
meeting teachers’ needs for better teaching practice; support given to classroom improvement;
and consistency with school’s long-term development plans).

3. Increased levels of resources managed and controlled at the school level.

4. Improved levels of school-wide student performance based on results of national

standardized tests.

Main policy actions identified to generate progress in this key reform thrust:

1. A head for every school: Ensure that every school or cluster of schools is led by a school head
who is selected, prepared, supported, monitored and made accountable for organizing and
leading an institutionalized school improvement process at the school/community level.

__________________
9
Department of Education, (2005, August). Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda (2006-2010). op. cit., p5.
10
Llego, loc.cit.
2. A school/community process of continuous school improvement: Institutionalize an efficient,
participatory, and continuous school improvement process in every school. Enable every school
to routinely prepare a school improvement plan (SIP), implement it, monitor and report its
implementation, and evaluate its results in terms of school-wide attainment of desired earning
outcomes. Enable every school and its community to establish and maintain functional and
empowered School Governing Councils supporting the operational leadership of the school
head in the school improvement process. Provide schools with means to adopt mechanisms and
practices for school-level accountability to parents, community, LGU's, and the DepED
hierarchy, including use of School Profiles, School Report Cards and similar modes of reporting
measurements of school-wide educational outcomes (participation, completion and
achievement). Expand schools’ use of student tracking systems to, among others, follow-up
students who are frequently absent, encountering difficulties and/or who are lagging behind.
Establish and sustain school/community level measures for enhancing basic health and
nutrition conditions of students and school staff, which should be included as an important part
of the SIP and a key responsibility of the SGC.

3. A school-based resource management framework: Create a simple and practical school-based

framework for comprehensive management of all resources available to schools (e.g., those
coming from the GAA, local government funds, community contributions and other sources), for
the attainment of the school’s mission, particularly desired learning outcomes. Evolve an
administrative and operational environment, including installation of basic financial
management and resource accounting systems appropriate to all types and sizes of schools, that
enable schools together with their communities, to become self-governing (i.e., to autonomously
decide and act on matters related to education delivery at the school level).

4. A schools-driven DepEd representation in Local School Boards of LGU's: Enable school heads
and school governing councils to monitor and influence LGU spending for basic education,
particularly in relation to the use of SEF collections.

Key Reform Thrust 2: Teachers raise the prevailing standards of their profession to meet
demands for better learning outcomes.

Significance: Classroom performance of teachers is a critical factor behind learning outcomes

attained by students of schools. A critical part of school improvement thus involves
improvement of teacher performance in classrooms. Schools must be provided with more and
better teachers capable of improving their capacity to teach well classes of reasonable size.
Furthermore, since most education managers start out as teachers, improving the competence
of teachers in the service will also likely improve the quality of future education managers. A
central insight of this reform thrust is that teachers themselves have the greatest stake and
most direct influence in raising the prevailing standards governing the practice of their
profession in order to meet social demands for better learning outcomes.

Progress in this key reform thrust will be indicated by:

1. Increased percentages of all DepEd divisions using competency-based standards for assessing
teacher performance, determining teacher development needs and priorities, selecting new
teachers for hiring and promoting teachers.
2. Increased percentages of all new teachers (national and local payrolls) deployed in schools at
each DepEd division that were selected and hired based on teacher competency standards of the
division.

3. Frequency distributions of class sizes (schools, divisions, regions and national) clustered
more closely around the average.

4. Increased percentages of all classes requiring assignment of specially trained teachers served
by teachers with correct preparation and qualifications (e.g., high school science classes handled
by teachers with correct science majors, multigrade classes handled by teachers with
multigrade training, and alternative learning programs handled by mobile teachers with
required training).

Main policy actions identified to generate progress in this key reform thrust:

1. A framework for competency-based standards for teachers: Adopt a national framework using
teacher competencies as the basis of standards for assessing new teachers’ readiness for hiring
and deployment, incumbent teachers’ current performance, and teachers’ priority needs for
professional development. Teacher competencies cover such areas as language proficiency,
subject matter mastery, pedagogical and classroom management skills, and commitment to
profession and community, among others, which define various dimensions of teacher
capability known to be important for improved learning outcomes.

2. A rolling 5-year projection of new teacher hires: Prepare a rolling 5-year projected staffing
pattern for all schools that identifies expected staffing requirements and estimates of numbers
of future hires for different types of positions in different divisions. Maintain a rolling 5-year
series of annual forecasts of future teacher demand at the national, regional and divisional
levels that can be used as basis for announced changes in future hiring standards that will
require prior responses by pre-service teacher education programs and the professional
licensing of teachers.

3. Progressive upgrades in division level teacher hiring practices: Enable all divisions to
progressively improve the quality of teachers they hire based on national competency
standards adapted to local conditions. Set up rolling 5-year timetables for each division to
program a year-by-year raising of minimum standards for hiring future teachers. At all
divisions, develop new rules, procedures, and instruments governing hiring, together with
appropriate staff who are capable of scientifically assessing teacher applicants in terms of their
probable performance in actual conditions of classroom practice against prevailing
performance standards.

4. Regional, divisional and school level targets for distribution of class sizes: Improve the
deployment of available numbers of nationally paid teachers in order to fairly distribute the
instructional workloads among classes and schools. Set up and monitor compliance with rolling
5-year targets for improvements in class size distribution for regions, divisions and schools. In
order to attain each year’s targets, regions, divisions and schools would be authorized to use a
variety of instruments to include: allocation of new teacher items; re-deployment of vacated
items; encouragement of voluntary teacher transfers; and selective control of new enrolment in
over-crowded schools in favor of less crowded schools nearby.
5. Division and school focus on improving teaching practice in schools: Encourage each division to
adapt the national framework for competency based standards for teachers to the specific
conditions and needs of the schools of the division. Use the division-specific teacher competency
framework (and develop division and district staff capable of providing technical support on its
use to schools) as the basis for each school’s regular assessment of incumbent teachers’
performance and determination of their priority development needs, linked to identified gaps
and opportunities in student learning outcomes. Ensure that the process of SIP preparation,
implementation and monitoring features the regular practice of school heads leading teachers
in using student assessment data and classroom observations to collectively identify strengths
and weaknesses in teacher performance, corresponding gaps in teacher competencies, and
appropriate priorities in use of school-based resources to improve teaching and learning.
Engage the SGC to increase the visibility, importance and commitment of schools/communities
for teachers and students to attain high levels of proficiency in English, Science and Math.
Expand availability to schools of cost-effective options for meeting teachers’ priority needs for
training and professional development that span a range of options, among others, self-learning
and tutorials, school-based or division-based INSET, regional/central training, academic
training in tertiary institutions, distance learning programs and computer-based courses, short
courses by private and other providers.

6. All other sources of teacher hires to adopt division hiring practices: Negotiate with local
governments, local school boards, PTCA's and all other sources of local teacher hires
supplementing the nationally provided positions to convince them to agree that locally hired
teachers shall all be subject to the same procedures and standards adopted by the division for
nationally hired teachers.

7. Pre-service teacher education and licensing to support future higher hiring standards: DepEd’s
5-year annual projection of future teacher hires can be used as an early signal to teacher
education institutions and the professional teacher licensing system about what teacher
competencies will be valued by the public schools in the coming years. Using these future
forecasts, a synchronized set of corresponding year-by-year reforms in policies for pre-service
and licensure can be developed and negotiated that will provide sufficient lead time for meeting
the higher standards of future teacher hiring.

8. New legislation governing teacher (and non-teaching staff) compensation, benefits and
conditions of employment: Develop a long-term strategy for improving teacher’s compensation
and benefits to attract better students into the teaching profession and keep the best teachers in
the service, either in classrooms or in administrative positions. Provide incentives for hard-to-
staff teaching positions. Explore public-private partnerships as a source for supporting teacher
compensation, benefits and incentives. Adopt a longer probationary period (two to three years)
for new teacher hires linked to a professionally mentored induction program with peer
appraisals and assessments. Consider changes in rules on teacher deployment to include
routine changes in grade level and school assignment of teachers to insure that teachers master
the span of elementary or secondary curriculum.

Key Reform Thrust 3: Influential social institutions and key social processes are engaged by
DepEd to support national scale attainment of desired learning outcomes.
Significance: For schools and teachers, and the whole DepEd organization, to perform better, the
basic education sector needs to secure sustained strong support for resources necessary for
good instruction, which in turn, depends on parents’ and students’ recognizing that good
instruction is vital to attaining their most valued personal, family, community and national
aspirations. In order for parents and students to recognize the true and full value of securing
desired learning from good schools, however, they need to observe the whole society
reinforcing, emphasizing and enriching the same learning. One can hardly expect parents and
students to support good schools when they do not see the rest of society reminding them of the
value and desirability of the learning that good schools realize. The central insight of this reform
thrust is that ordinary people from different spheres of society (i.e., persons not specifically
trained or skilled in professional education) not only can enhance the learning that students
derive from schooling, but also strengthen society’s support for those teachers, schools and
educators doing the best job in making such learning possible for all.

Progress in this key reform thrust will be indicated by:

1. Increases in the levels of educators’ satisfaction with the quality of instruction that schools
deliver.

2. Increases in the levels of parents’ and children’s satisfaction with the quality of education
they obtain.

3. Increases in the levels of communities’ satisfaction with the performance of schools serving
them.

4. Improvements in national indicators of learning outcomes such as participation and

completion rates, achievement rates and national sample scores in internationally comparable
tests.

Main policy actions identified to generate progress in this key reform thrust:

1. A national strategy in support of learning in English language: Engage leaders, influentials,

experts, groups and institutions with an interest in Filipinos learning in the English language.
Articulate a consensus on the role and importance of Filipinos learning in English. Identify
resources, capabilities, assets, strengths and advantages available for Filipino mastery of
English language. Propose actions, policies, projects, activities and initiatives that can
accelerate, enhance, enrich and universalize Filipinos learning in English language. Recommend
appropriate directions or priorities for schools, media, professions, enterprises, government
agencies, churches and religions, and other social institutions.

2. A national strategy in support of learning in Filipino language: Engage leaders, influentials,

experts, groups and institutions with an interest in Filipinos learning in the Filipino language.
Articulate a consensus on the role and importance of Filipinos learning in Filipino. Identify
resources, capabilities, assets, strengths and advantages available for Filipino mastery of
Filipino language. Propose actions, policies, projects, activities and initiatives that can
accelerate, enhance, enrich and universalize Filipinos learning in Filipino language. Recommend
appropriate directions or priorities for schools, media, professions, enterprises, government
agencies, churches and religions, and other social institutions.
3. A national strategy in support of learning Mathematics and Science: Engage leaders,
influentials, experts, groups and institutions with an interest in Filipinos learning Math and
Science. Articulate a consensus on the role and importance of Filipinos learning Math and
Science. Identify resources, capabilities, assets, strengths and advantages available for Filipino
mastery of Math and Science. Propose actions, policies, projects, activities and initiatives that
can accelerate, enhance, enrich and universalize Filipinos learning Math and Science.
Recommend appropriate directions or priorities for schools, media, professions, enterprises,
government agencies, churches and religions, and other social institutions.

4. A national quality assurance framework for basic education schooling: The Revised Basic
Education Curriculum (RBEC) will be further developed into an explicit learning accountability
framework that defines what levels of learning students of schools and divisions should meet at
various stages of the basic education cycle. This framework will be based on the national
curriculum, but will provide leeway for local flexibility and relevance. To enable schools and
divisions to meet expected learning outcomes, the framework should also include adequate
support to instruction through sufficient quantity and better quality textbooks across all
subjects, essential teachers’ guides and manuals (especially for all newly-hired teachers) and
other instructional materials, preferably locally developed. The framework will thus encompass
standards for inputs and processes linked to desired learning outcomes. This QA framework
defines the minimum standards all schools should meet and the key measures to be taken to
assure attainment of these standards. It will include a set of minimum national standards for
capabilities, structures, processes and output based on a template for school improvement
processes from planning to implementation to monitoring and evaluation. Finally, the QA
framework shall include a system of nationally standardized student assessments, outcomes
measurement and reporting of basic school statistics that together will provide the basic data
about directions, levels and trends of progress in the on-going educational reforms.

5. An institutionalized national forum for multi-sectoral coordination in support of basic

education outcomes: Establish a national governing council on basic education standards that
can serve as the institutional steward and champion of the implementation of the national
strategies in support of learning as well as the national quality assurance framework for basic
education schooling. This council can help DepEd define, articulate and advocate the concept of
quality Filipino basic education as one that forms a desired type of Filipino with certain distinct
identities and core ethical values, apart from acquiring certain valued competencies. The
national council can also enable local communities to understand and internalize this concept of
quality Filipino education (an “educated Filipino” as one of “being” not just of “doing” or
“knowing”) so that parents can assess the quality of schools from the kind of students they form.

6. A program and institution for forming basic education managers: Establish a training and
development institution for higher-level education managers, such as assistant superintendents,
superintendents, assistant directors and directors, which is linked to the principals and school
heads institute. This institution should dovetail to the school heads institute.

Key Reform Thrust 4: Providers of early childhood care and development, alternative
learning services, and private sector increase their respective complementary
contributions to national basic education outcomes.
Significance: Even good public schools with good teachers will require the assistance and
contribution of others in attaining the nation’s desired learning outcomes. Children entering
school at Grade 1 need to be made ready for school through early childhood education from
their birth onward. Adult illiterates, out-of-school youth and other learners not in school need
to secure basic education competencies through alternative learning options. The private sector
also needs to supplement the effort of public schools by serving families who opt to send their
children to private schools and by offering private sector solutions to public education. These
three segments of most Filipino communities – early childhood education, alternative learning
providers and private sector – require a policy environment that strengthens collaboration
among service providers within their localities and maximizes their respective contributions to
the nation’s learning objectives. The central insight of this reform thrust is that effective
convergence of early childhood education, alternative learning, private sector and public
schools in localities will maximize learning impact of each one.

Progress in this key reform thrust will be indicated by:

1. Increased percentages of all Grade 1 entrants who meet the standards for school readiness

2. Increased percentages of ALS clients completing courses in basic and functional literacy

3. Increased percentages of takers of accreditation and equivalency tests in elementary and

secondary levels pass

4. Percentage of total school enrolment served by private schools reach the target set by
national policy.

Main policy actions identified to generate progress in this key reform thrust:

1. Local delivery models for cost-effective early childhood education: Develop new or scale up
existing locality-based (municipal, city or province) ECE delivery models that feature, among
others: assessments of readiness for school of all Grade 1 entrants; schools giving feedback to
parents about the readiness of their children for school; schools giving feedback to local
governments and community leaders about groups of Grade 1 entrants not ready for school;
expansion of local ECE programs that demonstrate effectiveness in getting children ready for
school; improvement of other programs to increase their effectiveness; adoption of standards
known to enhance effectiveness of ECE programs; and LGU coordination of local ECE efforts at
home, in communities, at day care and in pre-schools by government, non-government and
private sectors.

2. Enhanced and accelerated ALS coverage: Review existing mandate of Literacy Coordination
Council for possible revision to cover governance of alternative learning system, including
adoption of policies and standards for alternative learning services by national government
agencies, local governments, non-government organizations and the private sector. Develop or
scale up locality-based (municipal, city or province) ALS delivery models. Develop capacity of
service providers (public and private) to identify potential ALS learners in the areas where they
operate thru referral and drop-out tracking system, and integrate literacy training in their
programs of assistance reaching illiterate OSY and adults, and other learners. Establish
structure and support mechanism of convergence at various levels.
3. A private sector strategy for basic education: Identify potential of various roles of private sector
in basic education: private schools; private management of public schools; private sector
participation in public schools governance; private enterprises performing public education
functions as contractors or suppliers; private financial contributions to public education.
Determine the optimum level of private sector in these various roles. Ensure private sector
participation to meet this optimum level. Expand private sector participation in education
through reforms in the Educational Service Contracting scheme such as expansion of coverage
through all areas of basic education and improved targeting where public sector capacity
constraints are matched by available private sector capacity. Consider also possible private
management of public schools and private sector services to public schools or school clusters
(for example, INSET, supervision and assessment).

Key Reform Thrust 5: DepEd changes its own institutional culture towards greater
responsiveness to the key reform thrusts of BESRA.

Significance: The first four key reform thrusts would change the policy environment of schools,
teachers, social support for learning, providers of early childhood education and alternative
learning services, and private sector involvement in basic education. The key institutional
player behind the formulation, adoption and implementation of these policies, now and over the
long-term, is the Department of Education, particularly its national, regional and divisional
offices. If these reforms are to advance, take root, blossom and bear fruit, the institutional
culture of DepEd will need to change to become more hospitable to these reforms. In particular,
DepEd will need to move out of its worst centralized, bureaucratized, mechanistic and simplistic
mindsets and habits if it hopes to attain population wide higher level learning outcomes. For
reforms to occur at scale and be sustained in the long-term, DepEd’s organizational culture,
financial systems, technological capabilities and accountability environment have to adjust to
the demands of these reforms. The central insight of this reform thrust is that the culture of the
institution behind reform policies must change if the policies were to have a chance of
eventually succeeding.

Progress in this key reform thrust will be indicated by:

1. High levels of deep understanding among incumbent DepEd managers at central, regional and
divisional offices of DepEd’s strategy for culture change and its integration into the
modernization plans of DepEd offices.

2. A new national budget framework established featuring multi-year, goal-based funding levels
with equitable allocations to localities linked to LGU contributions and allocations to schools
specified according to a transparent formula.

3. Increased levels of favorable public perceptions of honesty, integrity and professional

excellence of DepEd offices.

4. ICT strategy adopted and implemented according to targets.

Main policy actions identified to generate progress in this key reform thrust:

1. A strategy for institutional culture change integrated into organizational modernization plans
for central, regional and divisional offices: Develop a strategy for changing the institutional
culture of DepEd towards becoming more supportive of the directions of the reforms
comprising BESRA. Implement the culture change strategy in the improvement of the
operational capacity of central DepEd through the modernization of its staff and facilities, as
well as through increasing the transparency, accountability and integrity of its units, based on
the newly rationalized structure and operations. Implement the culture change strategy in the
Improvement of the operational capacity of 17 DepEd regional offices through modernization of
staff and facilities, as well as through increasing transparency, accountability and integrity of its
units, based on development and formulation of specific regional basic education support plans.
Implement the culture change strategy in the improvement of the operational capacity of 184
DepEd division offices through modernization of staff and facilities as well as through increasing
transparency, accountability and integrity of its units, based on development and formulation of
specific local basic education plans.

2. A new national budget framework for basic education: Seek approval for a new national budget
format for basic education that is based on DBCC approved multi-year baseline allocations
sufficient to meet the basic resource needs of schools, providing sub-allocations to localities that
is linked to specific levels of LGU contributions, specifying school-level sub allocations that
serve as the basis of school-based budgets. Increase annual budget outlays to meet enrolment
and cost increases, eliminate resource gaps and attain target goals. Identify sources of potential
savings in the existing budget for possible re-allocation to finance policy reform initiatives.
Increase level and effectiveness of LGU spending for basic education at school and locality levels
through direct mandates and cost-sharing schemes. Integrate all other international and local
project initiatives in basic education within the overall basic education reform and operations
framework. Integrate performance and internal audit mechanisms in the routine functions of
the public schools system. Identify measures to increase revenues from education sector assets
and administrative rules to enable DepEd to use these revenues to finance policy reform
initiatives, including teachers’ compensation and benefits.

3. An ICT strategy for basic education: Develop and adopt a strategy for cost-effective use of ICT
in basic education (for classroom instruction and teachers’ training in schools, as well as for use
by DepEd offices). Expand and mainstream those already tested, cost-saving educational
technologies as tried out in past programs and projects.

BESRA Implementation

Enclosed in DepEd Order No. 69, s. 2007 – COORDINATING MECHANISMS FOR IMPLEMENTING
ACTIONS UNDER THE BASIC EDUCATION SECTOR REFORM AGENDA (BESRA)

The Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda is the evolving agenda of DepEd to
systematically, institutionally and sustainably improve nationwide basic education outcomes.
As disseminated through DepEd Memorandum No. 83, s. 2007 dated 26 February 2007, the
implementation of BESRA is a priority responsibility of DepEd’s management. The DepEd
Secretary is overall director of BESRA implementation, with implementation coordinated by
existing organic structures of the DepEd organization, namely, the Executive Committee
(EXECOM), Management Committee (MANCOM), Program Committee (PROGCOM), and the
Finance Committee (FINCOM), as appropriate for a for raising policy issues, discussing options,
finalizing policy and program recommendations and sharing information essential for decision-
making. The regional and divisional functional equivalents of these central-level structures shall
likewise serve as field coordinating mechanisms for BESRA implementation under the
respective authorities of regional directors and division superintendents.

Considering, however, the reality that these organic management structures of DepEd
also coordinate all on-going basic education programs, projects and activities, there is clear
necessity for establishing additional mechanisms specifically dedicated to facilitating
institutional actions under BESRA. Such additional coordinating mechanisms shall as a whole
assure timely, sustained, effective and coherent implementation of policies, programs and
activities related to BESRA by working with and through, not outside of or bypassing, DepEd’s
organic structures.

To provide central-level staff coordination essential for overall implementation of

BESRA, a Technical Coordinating Team (TCT) is created to be co-chaired by the
Undersecretaries for Regional Operations and for Finance with the participation of the Assistant
Secretary for Planning, the Chairs of the BESRA Technical Working Groups, Director of Office of
Planning Service, and Director of EDPITAF. The TCT shall report directly to the Secretary. The
TCT will be responsible for: (1) bringing all BESRA-related matters to the attention for decision
and action of the Secretary, EXECOM, MANCOM, PROGCOM, and FINCOM, as appropriate; (2)
undertaking necessary staff work necessary for informed discussion/decision by DepEd
management on all BESRA-related matters; (3) following-up actions taken on decisions made
regarding BESRA-related matters; and (4) building a pipeline of well-prepared proposals and
consultatively formulated recommendations that will enable DepEd management to promptly
decide and effectively implement actions under BESRA .

Enclosed in DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2008-Coordinating Mechanisms for Implementing the Basic
Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA)

To ensure the effective and efficient operationalization of the structures and

mechanisms adopted for the implementation of BESRA, the Technical Coordinating Team and
Technical Working Groups created through DepED Order No. 69, s. 2007 are re-constituted.
Also, with regard to the implementation of other components of BESRA, the TWGs are created
to be responsible for the development and/or review of policy recommendations in relation to
National Learning Strategies (part of the BESRA KRT3), Alternative Learning System (part of
BESRA KRT 4) and IP/Muslim Education.

Enclosed in DepEd Order No. 34, S. 2009-Moving Forward in the Implementation of the Basic
Education Sector Reform Agenda (BESRA)

As the Department moves forward to the full implementation of the Basic Education
Sector Reform Agenda, all concerned officials and Technical Working Groups are instructed to
include in their respective 2009 Work Plans the actions that would respond to the
recommendations of the 4th Review Mission for Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda
(BESRA) Implementation.

1. BESRA Implementation. To ensure that gains made thus far are sustained, the following
mechanisms shall continue to be adopted:2.1 BESRA Technical Coordinating Team. The
TCT which was re¬constituted through DepED Order No. 16, s. 2008 shall continue to
provide overall coordination, strategic direction, harmonization and integration of
BESRA efforts. As such, all decisions/proposals from the BESRA Technical Working
 Groups and organic units in terms of contents and processes in policy formulation,
standards setting and systems development related to the five (5) key reform thrusts of
BESRA shall be endorsed/approved by the TCT and submitted to the Secretary for final
approval/information. For effective and efficient operation for the TCT, the specific roles
and responsibilities of the TCT Chair and Co-Chairs are as follows:

1. Undersecretary for Regional Operations. As TCT Chair, he shall lead, initiate and
manage the overall implementation of the reform agenda. Moreover, as the
Undersecretary for Regional Operations, he shall be responsible for context
setting, planning and monitoring of BESRA inputs. He shall also provide
direction and guidelines to the TWG on School-Based Management.

2. Undersecretary for Programs and Projects. As TCT Co-Chair, she shall be mainly
responsible for providing directions and guidance to the various TWGs and
concerned organic units in terms of contents and process of formulating policies,
standards and operational guidelines related to teacher education and
development, curriculum and instruction, learning resources such as textbooks
and other instructional materials, educational technology (i.e., alternative
delivery modes such as MISOSA, IMPACT, EASE, etc) and alternative learning
system.

3. Undersecretary for Finance and Administration. As TCT Co- Chair, he shall be

mainly responsible for providing directions and guidance to the various TWGs,
particularly the TWG on Resource Mobilization and Management, and organic
units in ensuring that the major support processes such as administrative,
human resource, and finance services are aligned and responsive to BESRA
policy actions.

2.2 Role of other Undersecretaries and Assistant Secretaries. The following shall be the
specific responsibilities of the other undersecretaries in BESRA implementation:

4. Undersecretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs shall assess the implications of
the policy reform proposals emanating from the TWGs with respect to the
necessary legislative support and consistency with existing laws.

5. Undersecretary for Muslim Education shall continue to lead the Indigenous

Peoples and Muslim Education TWG (IP & ME TWG). The TWG shall work closely
with the other TWGs to ensure that the promotion of IP and Muslim education is
responded to by the other TWGs.

Assistant Secretaries who are not directly involved at present in the various TWGs and
Technical Committees shall extend technical support in line with their respective areas of
responsibility.

2.3 BESRA Technical Working Groups – The TWGs shall continue to perform their roles
in developing recommendations in terms of standards, policies, systems designs, and
operational guidelines related to the various reform areas of BESRA. However, pertinent
provisions of the DepED Order on Coordinating Mechanisms for Implementing BESRA issued
last January 22, 2008 are hereby amended, as follows:
 6. The QAA and M&E TWGs are hereby merged into one TWG with Director Lolita
Andrada of the Bureau of Secondary Education (BSE) as Chair and Directors
Milagros Talinio of OPS and Nelia Benito of NETRC as Co-Chairs.

7. As stipulated in DepED Order No. 26, s. 2009, the ICT Technical Committee shall
be responsible for the formulation and/or recommendation of policies,
standards and operational guidelines on the use of ICT in basic education and
governance, including ICT components of BESRA.

8. Given the direct impact on learners, the SBM and ALS TWGs shall serve as the
core TWGs. As the core TWGs, they shall ensure that all other reform areas of
BESRA are responsive to SBM and ALS thrusts and are integrated in the
implementation of SBM and ALS programs. They are expected to create
partnerships within and among the other TWGs and DepED units concerned to
effectively combine information and resources they would require in
developing/reviewing/refining policies affecting the learners.

2. Engagement of DepED Organic Units. Based on their existing functions, the various

organic units of the Department from central, regional, divisional and school levels are
hereby mandated to integrate BESRA implementation in their regular operations.

3. Formulation and Adoption of BIAP. To guide the formulation and implementation of

BESRA policy actions, the TCT shall provide direction and guidance to the various TWGs
and organic units in the finalization of the BESRA Implementation and Accountability
Plan (BIAP) and endorse the same for the Secretary’s approval not later than April 30,
2009. The BIAP shall outline the expected deliverables from 2009 to 2011 and the
accountable groups or offices for each of the committed outputs. The BIAP shall be
considered in the preparation of the DepED budget proposals for 2010 onwards.

4. Preparation of 2009 Work and Financial Plans. Based on the committed 2009

deliverables in the BIAP, all TWGs and concerned organic units are required to
prepare/update their respective 2009 Annual Work and Financial Plans which shall be
funded under the DepED 2009 budget and resources from on-going foreign-assisted
projects.

Enclosed in DepEd Order No. 87, s. 2009-Creation of Organizational Development (OD) and
Livelihood/Technical and Vocational Education Technical Working Groups (TWGs) Under BESRA

To ensure the effective and efficient operationalization of the structures and

mechanisms adopted for the implementation of Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda
(BESRA), there is a need to create additional Technical Working Groups (TWGs), namely:
Organizational Development TWG and Livelihood/Technical and Vocational Education TWG.

The abovementioned TWGs are the main forum for all overall coordination and
monitoring of the implementation of their respectively assigned areas of BESRA and for
developing recommendations in terms of standards, policies and operational guidelines related
to BESRA implementation.
 The OD TWG is mainly responsible for formulating standards, policies, systems
framework and implementing guidelines related to the establishment of a competency-based
performance management system anchored on DepEd Core Values.

Meanwhile, the Livelihood/Technical and Vocational Education TWG is responsible for

formulating policies related to the implementation of an enriched Livelihood and Tech-Voc
Education program in public secondary schools (Regular and Tech-Voc HS).

Enclosed in DepEd Order No. 23, s. 2010-Adoption of the BESRA Implementation and
Accountability Plan 2010-2012: A Blueprint for Transforming the Basic Education Sub-sector

1. To serve as the official guide of the Department of Education in carrying out further the
multi-year program of institutional actions to improve operations in basic education, the
Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda Implementation and Accountability Plan, 2010-
2012: A BluePrint for Transforming the Basic Education Sub-Sector is adopted.

2. The Plan outlines a set of inter-related reform actions that DepEd will continue to
implement in a sector-wide effort to facilitate the attainment of the country’s Education
For All objectives by 2015. The Plan outlines the specific policy actions with clearly
stated deliverables, explicit performance measures and means of verification, definite
time frames and transparent accountabilities of the BESRA Technical Coordinating Team
and Technical Working Groups and organic units of the Department.

3. The Plan still retains a strong emphasis on the BESRA 2006 Program Implementation
Plan (PIP) foundation actions such as School-Based Management, Standards-Driven
Reforms in Teacher Education and Development, Quality Assurance and Accountability
and Outcome-Focused Resource Mobilization and Management. Moreover, it includes
other aspects important to attaining basic education competencies such as the
localization of National Learning Strategies, Indigenous Peoples and Muslim Education
and enhanced Technology and Livelihood Education under KRT 3; the expansion of
Early Childhood Education and Alternative Learning System programs under KRT 4; and
the inclusion of Organizational Development; Use of ICT in Governance and
Management; and Public-Private Partnership as part of Resource Mobilization and
Management under KRT5.

 While the DepEd adopted the phased approach in carrying out the BESRA
Implementation and Accountability Plan through pilot-testing and modelling of
new/enhanced key systems from 2010 to 2012.

5. To support and sustain the above-mentioned urgent reform actions, all concerned TWGs
and organic units shall prioritize this year, the establishment and operationalization of
the systems for NCBTS-Based Training and Development of Teachers, Quality
Management (continuous process of quality planning, quality assurance in plan
implementation and quality control through monitoring and evaluation) and Outcome-
Focused Resource Mobilization and Management starting from the school level. Annex 1
shows how the key BESRA components will be implemented at the school level through
SBM. The same systems will also be used to support the implementation of pre-school
education and ALS programs, as appropriate.
Enclosed in DepEd Order No. 118, s. 2010-Adoption of the New BESRA Implementation
Arrangement

1. In order to continuously ensure the effective and efficient operationalization of the

structures and mechanisms for the implementation of Basic Education Sector Reform
Agenda (BESRA), and to sustain its gains and accelerate, strengthen and deepen its
impact at all levels, the new BESRA implementation arrangement is adopted.

2. The objectives of this adoption are as follows:

1. to improve coordination and integration of reform efforts;

2. to streamline decision-making processes;

3. to ensure appropriate governance and consultative mechanisms, to limit number of

focal areas;

4. to transfer responsibility and accountability for implementation of reform to

organic units; and

5. to align assignment of reform implementation to the probable organic structures in

the proposed Rationalization Plan.

The DepEd governance structures and processes such as Management Committee

(ManCom), Finance Committee (FinCom), Program Committee (ProgCom) and Executive
Committee (ExeCom) are strengthened in the new BESRA arrangement to serve as appropriate
venues for policy consultation and management decision-making, including guidance for
implementation of reform initiatives. Furthermore, the greater involvement of the Regional
Offices (ROs) in the implementation of reform initiatives, monitoring of progress and results,
and refinement of national policies are viewed as crucial.

More focused BESRA Key Reform Thrusts:

KRT 1: School-Based Management

KRT 2: Teacher Education and Development

KRT 3: National Learning Strategies

Sublevel 1: Alternative Learning Program (ALS)

Sublevel 2: Indigenous Peoples/Muslim Education (IP/ME)

Sublevel 3: Livelihood/Technical and Vocational Education (LTVE)

KRT 4: Quality Assurance and Accountability/Monitoring and Evaluation (QAA/M&E)

KRT 5: Organizational Development (OD) 

Sublevel 1: Resource Mobilization and Management (RMM)

Sublevel 2: Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

__________________
12
Lapus, J. A. (2007). Coordinating Mechanisms for Implementing Actions Under the Basic Education
Sector Reform Agenda. DepEd.gov.ph. Retrieved April 28, 2020, from https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2007/10/DO_s2007_069.pdf
13
Sangil, T.C. (2008 March 12). Coordinating Mechanisms for Implementing the Basic Education Sector
Reform Agenda (BESRA). DepEd.gov.ph. Retrieved April 28, 2020, from https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2018/10/DO_s2008_016.pdf
14
Lapus, J.A. (2009 April 13). Moving Forward in the Implementation of the Basic Education Sector Reform
Agenda. DepEd.gov.ph. Retrieved April 28, 2020, from https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2018/10/DO_s2009_34.pdf
15
Lapus, J.A. (2009 August 19). Creation of Organizational Development (OD) and Livelihood/Technical and
Vocational Education Technical Working Gropus (TWGs) under BESRA. DepEd.gov.ph. Retrieved April 28, 2020,
from April 28, 2020, from https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/DO_s2009_87.pdf
16
Lapus, J.A. (2010 March 08). Adoption of the BESRA Implementation and Accountability Plan, 2010-
2012: A BluePrint for Transforming The Basic Education Subsector. DepEd.gov.ph. Retrieved April 28, 2020, from
https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/DO-No.-23-s.-2010.pdf
17
Luistro, A.A. (2010). Adoption of the New BESRA Implementation Arrangement. DepEd.gov.ph. Retrieved
April 28, 2020, from https://www.deped.gov.ph/2010/12/15/do-118-s-2010-adoption-of-the-new-besra-
implementation-arrangement-amended-by/
III. Insights

As introduced in the previous pages, the education sector’s development has mirrored
the changes in the country’s administration. Today the focus is on expanding access and
ensuring more Filipinos receive a decent basic education, as a means of reducing poverty and
improving national competitiveness. 

There are nine positive qualities of BESRA.

First, BESRA focuses on the improving student learning processes and outcome.
Second, BESRA affirms the need to employ diverse approaches to facilitating learning in the
classroom. Third, BESRA locates the reform interventions at the level of the school and the
classroom. Fourth, locating the reform initiatives at the school level also creates stronger
accountabilities to the community, and allows for more responsive and more relevant school
programs. Fifth, BESRA recognizes the important role of teachers and teacher development in
improving student learning outcomes. Sixth, BESRA builds on community-school relationships,
and aims to strengthen such relationships by looking at the community as a resource for
improving schools, and by ensuring that schools are accountable to the community. Seventh,
BESRA reforms are based on previous interventions that worked. Derived from pilot projects
such as the Third Elementary Education Project (TEEP), the Basic Education assistance for
Mindanao (BEAM) and the Strengthening Implementation of Visayas Education (STRIVE) and
other reform initiatives. Eighth, the BESRA shifts the reform initiatives of the DepEd from
project approach to a more organic approach. Finally, the BESRA reforms are truly positive
because BESRA is DepEd’s reform initiative. It is not imposed by an external agency, or some
foreign- assisted project. In developing the specific components of BESRA, the DepEd offices
responsible undertook a most extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders within
the DepEd and among the various stakeholders of the Philippine Basic Education Sector.

On the contrary, this is not to say that DepEd has been totally remiss in efforts at
reforming basic education. For example, it has played a major role in the conceptualization of
BESRA and will be its major implementing arm. This initiative has been strongly endorsed by
the government, and is enthusiastically pushed by top DepEd officials as well as by
educationists in both the public and private sectors. BESRA however, was not perfectly adopted
by the System. Here’s why: Effective implementation will require empowering lower-level
administrators and stakeholders within the community. While decentralization has many
advantages, its downsides are easily overlooked. For one thing, it will exacerbate parochialism
and turfism which carry the danger that local issues and concerns will take precedence over the
larger interests of society and of the community. Successful implementation requires extensive
networking arrangements and joint, multi-sectoral decision making. In the past, consortium
arrangements and other forms of collaboration and team effort have failed.

There are many reasons for this:

 Absence of a shared commitment to a common goal
 Conflicting individual interests
 Perceptions of inequity in the sharing of effort, costs, and benefits
 Exaggerated self-assessment of competence (or the lack of it)
 Differences in status and authority which hinder meaningful debates and the free flow of
information.
IV. Conclusions
BESRA, though not perfect, is a sound, research-based and innovative reform program
that is the hope of redemption for learners in all community in all corners of our land. Although,
the realization of the BESRA policies still depends on the methods and practices of the key
persons involved in the implementation of the program.
In order to drive this initiative forward all partners need to liaise consistently and offer
support to each partner in order to progress collaboratively. The evidence gained through the
reported consultancy period indicates that this is likely to continue as the Philippine education
system is about to enter an era of exciting and productive development.
Finally, it is worth stating that the commitment of the government has amended the
education ordinance to implement in schools a participatory governance framework with
transparency and accountability. It gives legal backing to the SBM governance framework. It
provides for the establishment of an Incorporated Management Committee (IMC) and sets out
its composition, operation, functions and powers so that stakeholders can participate in school
governance according to the law. The direct participation of these key stakeholders in school
decision-making will enhance the transparency and accountability of school governance, and
the key stakeholders should work together to set common goals and strengthen their
partnership to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning of the school.

V. Recommendations
It is clear that this initiative is brave and potentially wide-reaching. Data gathered
through research-based show that there are critical elements which need attention and this
report sets out a series of recommendations which the reporter feel are necessary to enable
successful progression of the initiative and long-term impact. To achieve these goals, maximum
adjustments must be done. It is from these concepts that we can get the specific roles that
administrators and teachers shall perform:
Administrators:
 Must ensure that all schools and cluster of schools is led by a school head who is
selected, prepared, supported, monitored and made accountable for organizing and
leading an institutionalized school improvement process at the school/community level.
 Must routinely prepare a school improvement plan (SIP), establish and maintain
functional and empowered School Governing Councils (SGC) and work side by side with
the community in establishing and sustaining school/community level actions for
enhancing basic health and nutrition conditions of students and school staff.
 Must create a school-based resource management structure with the soul function of
managing all resources available to the school.
 Must have a school-based representation in Local School Boards of Local Government
Units.
 Must adopt the SBM (School-Based Management) Framework
 Must increase number, type, and quality of community-school partnerships
 Must adopt multi-sectoral national strategies in support of learning in three major areas
of knowledge of common interest to all Filipinos, namely, learning in English, in Filipino
and in Math and Science.
 Must develop new or scale up existing locality-based early childhood education, enhance
and accelerate Alternative Learning System coverage
 Must develop and adopt a strategy for cost-effective use of ICT in basic education (for
classroom instruction and teachers’ training in schools. Expand and mainstream those
already tested, cost-saving educational technologies as tried out in past programs and
projects. 

Teachers:

Since BESRA is focused on school administration, only few can be deduced from it
that concerns teachers’ specific roles.

 Generally, teachers must be key agents to make all the key reform thrusts happen.
 Teachers must raise the prevailing standards of their profession to meet demands for
better learning outcomes.
 Must progressively improve their quality/competency (based on national competency
standards adapted to local conditions).