Towards Quality Educational Outcomes: What Aspiring and Incoming PSDS Should Know

By:  Gilbert M. Forbes
DepED Quezon, CALABARZON 

(This is the third and the concluding part of Towards Quality Educational Outcomes: Maximizing the Role and Functions of Public School District Supervisors and Towards Quality Educational Outcomes: A Look at Public School District Supervisors’ Roles)

The sign that district supervisors have already completely separated themselves from their usual perceive roles as administrators over school principals could be seen in the way district offices are now ran and maintained, relationships that exists between district supervisors and school heads particularly in most of the central schools where their offices are located and maintained courtesy of the said sponsoring host schools, treatment and support they receive from the rest of the school heads and most importantly how the curriculum is effectively implemented and monitored for quality learning outcomes.  

R.A. 9155 is clear about the public school districts roles and responsibilities apart from authority, accountability and responsibility:

• Monitor, assess, supervise and evaluate the implementation of various curricula in basic education in both public and private schools/learning centers including early childhood education, special education and alternative learning system in the district or cluster thereof;

• Provide professional and instructional advice and support to the school heads and teachers/facilitators of public and private elementary and secondary schools and learning centers including early childhood education,special education and alternative learning system in the district or cluster thereof and

• Perform such other related functions as maybe assigned by proper authorities.

In addition to this, their job summary states that they are to assists the schools or learning centers in the district apart from the specific duties and responsibilities which are enumerated as follows:

1. Analyzes and interprets education indicators
2. Conducts action researches on academic and non-academic factors affecting learning progress and achievement
3. Visits and monitors  schools for curricular supervision
4. Provides technical assistance to school heads on matters of instructional supervision, when solicited
5. Assists and serves as  resource person and facilitator in INSET
6. Monitors implementation of ALS programs
7. Evaluates performance of ALS district coordinators as delegated by SDS
8. Assists school heads in self-management, school-based decision-making and to utilization and development of school resources when solicited
9. Serves as learning area supervisor at DO, if assigned/designated

These things should be clear to all school heads who are aspiring to become a public school district supervisor because this is not for power hungry individuals, neither to current school principals whom because of power bloated their minds and their concept of principled and servant leadership.  It is for those who wants to contribute to the general objective of advancing quality education in all our schools.
 
While PSDS position is said to be the representation of the school division's superintendents office at the district or municipal level, it goes beyond, and the expected challenges ahead is only fitting to the position and the remuneration which are steps ahead.

Any aspiring PSDS therefore should not expect a higher or special treatment and privileges that he/she could have had experienced of  once held before as a school principal but only those that his position deserves.

Administratively speaking, he is among equals with the school heads though it should always be expected that the PSDS will always be the team captain capitalizing on common respect but not or never be a boss among them just like the pope who is among co-equals with the bishops. 

In the case of the pope, respect and leadership stems from his being the bishop of Rome, the former seat of St. Peter and on the case of the PSDS, their being the representatives of the schools division superintendents and 'alter ego.'

Newbies therefore should learn how to thread and know the water first before stumbling on various demands.  Like a community organizers of various people's organization (PO's), he will certainly start from scratch.  He should start as a community organizer, a missionary, friendly both and a leader commensurate to his post.

In most cases, the feeling of rejection couldn't be avoided but it is but natural.   But it is still tiny compared to most undocumented cases where PSDS in some city schools could not be accommodated by target host schools because of over crowding according to the principal.

With these, any aspiring PSDS and those being promoted to the said position should not only be the top-notched but those who really cares about his/her mission.  Otherwise, expect for more challenges for teachers and school heads now a days are different from those two-decades ago.

Given that, PSDS's job description is available online and accessible to all, any candidate or has been promoted and given the job will be working towards that goal.

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University- Southern Luzon and Manila Campus.  A former multi-grade teacher, campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years, NEAP Trained Facilitator for K to 12 etc.  Currently, he is an elementary school principal two in one of the elementary schools in the division of Quezon.  He is also the Vice-President of the Quezon Elem. School Heads Association- QUESHA- PESPA Chapter)   

Towards Quality Educational Outcomes: Maximizing the Role and Functions of Public School District Supervisors

By:  Gilbert M. Forbes
DepEd Quezon, CALABARZON

The state recognizes the significant role of district supervisors in our educational system that’s why instead of totally abolishing it, it was later clarified and defined upon the passage of R.A. 9155 in 2001 otherwise known as Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001.

In support of the provisions of the law, it was later explicitly defined under DECS Order No. 1, s. 2006 which constitutes the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law.  Under this IRR Rule V, Section 5.2, PSDS were stripped of administrative supervision over school heads and instead focus it on instructional and curricular supervision aimed at raising academic standards at the school level.

Specific duties, functions and roles was reiterated in an article written by Dr. Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela of SEAMEO INNOTECH entitled Decentralization of Education in the Philippines during the IIEP Workshop held in in Manila on July 12- 16,  2010 stressing that in consonance with the policy, purposes and objectives, and the principles enunciated in R.A. 9155 the school districts shall have the following authority, accountability and responsibility:

1.  Monitor, assess, supervise and evaluate the implementation of various curricula in basic education in both public and private schools/learning centers including early childhood education, special education and alternative learning system in the district or cluster thereof; 
2. Provideprofessional and instructional advice and support to the school heads and teachers/facilitators of public and private elementary and secondary schools and learning centers including early childhood education,special education and alternative learning system in the district or cluster thereof and
3. Perform such other related functions as maybe assigned by proper authorities.

The question if district supervisors have already completely separated themselves from their usual perceive roles as administrators over school principals could be seen in the way district offices are now ran and maintained, relationships that exists between district supervisors and school heads particularly in most of the central schools where their offices are located and maintained courtesy of the said sponsoring host schools, and most importantly how the curriculum is effectively implemented and monitored for quality learning outcomes in schools in their respective areas.

UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning Module 2 on Roles and Functions of Supervisors states that supervisors (supervision staff) are expected to play three different yet complimentary roles which are quite evident in the job descriptions to wit:  to control and evaluate, to give support and advice, and to act as a liaison agent.

Control

The control function that relates to the original meaning of the word ‘inspection’ is at the heart of compliance monitoring.  So, it should not be mistaken as administrative supervision over other school personnel particularly school principals and school heads as in the case of the Philippines.

The control function covers pedagogical as well as administrative inputs and processes.  It is therefore necessary that district supervisors are well versed with the prescribed curriculum and are always updated with current pedagogical processes towards effective learning.  Having weak or none of these will not realize the very purpose of which their respective offices are created for. 

Support

Monitoring or control function without support will not easily lead to quality improvement.  These two dimensions should be and have been intimately linked.

Support takes the form of advice given to teachers and head teachers during supervision visits which cover both administrative and pedagogical issues.  Administrative issue may involve professional and instructional advice and support to the school heads while that of pedagogy relates to the inputs given to teachers to improve teaching learning processes.

Other modalities of support should also be considered e.g., individual tutoring, demonstration lessons, in-service training programmes and organization of peer learning.

Liaison

Because of the two previous functions, which include regular school visits, supervisors are also the main liaison agents between the top of the education system, where norms and rules are set, and the schools where education really takes place.  As expected of go-between agents, they have a double task:  to inform schools of decisions taken by the centre, and to inform the centre of the realities at the school level.

Their liaison role is, however, not only vertical:  increasingly, supervisors are entrusted with horizontal relations and have a privileged role to play in identifying and spreading new ideas and good practices between schools.  Particularly when ambitious reforms programmes are being launched, their role in disseminating the reform and ensuring smooth implementation at the school level becomes important.

A Closer Look at the Real Score

The roles and functions discussed above are still far from being fully practiced.  At present, school principals are seen and perceive to be the ones more practicing the job descriptions as embodied in R.A. 9155 while that of the district supervisors are perceive and seen as still limited more on administrative functions rather than supervisory.

Unlike school heads of even some bigger schools, their respective offices maintain staff usually full time teachers but given an ancillary function apart from teaching.  These staff are the ones preparing reports and all types of office and clerical works. 

Thus, more time is devoted or could be spent in providing professional and instructional advice and support to school heads and teachers/facilitators of schools and learning centers in the district, or cluster thereof; as well as curricula supervision viz instructional supervision.  This, contrary to popular beliefs, remains to be seen.

Proof of this is the dearth or lack of local literature and studies which delves on the roles and functions of district supervisors in the country and how they contribute fully towards quality learning outcomes in our schools apart from school heads.

Given the fact that most of these district supervisors rose from the ranks and probably are among the cream of the crop from among the school heads prior to their promotion to that position, the contribution they would make towards the realization of education reforms and raising educational outcomes is enormous.

This could be realized if like the ordinary teachers and school heads, they shall be held accountable for the performance of their respective districts, their job descriptions clarified and their performance fully assessed based on their competencies as supported by credible educational outcomes, basic education indicators, and other related evidences.

If this is realized, they will instantaneously get the respect and admiration of their common critics down the line of the educational arena.


What Should Have Been Done?

Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 (R.A. 9155) and DECS Order No. 1, s. 2006 which laid down the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the law is clear on the specific roles and functions that public school district supervisors should and are expected to perform.

These are providing professional and instructional advice and support to the school heads and teachers/facilitators of schools and learning centers in the district or cluster thereof; and Curricula supervision which could have been done well if their job descriptions are clearly established like their school counterparts, the school heads through the School-Based Management Framework.

While generally, their responsibility and function is clearly stated in both the IRR and law, unified framework that outlines how these general functions could be well performed, monitored, and assessed against given competency-based performance assessment tools seems to be lacking or non at all.

District Supervisors though few are well-organized, very vocal and could be considered politically strong as a lobby group as compared to school heads in each division, but this should not prevent the central office, regional or even division offices to clarify their roles and held them responsible and accountable parallel to other personnel of the department.

With their rich experiences as former school heads and education, they could pretty well do an excellent job in doing their part towards attaining quality educational outcomes.

continuation . . . . click here to continue reading the second part

References:

Basic Education Act of 2001 (R.A. 9155)

DepEd Order No. 1, s. 2006 otherwise known as the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Basic Education Act of 2011, R.A. 9155

Supreme Court En Banc Decision on PSDS vz DECS and DBM June 16, 2006 at http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2006/june2006/G.R.%20No.%20157286.htm

International Institute for Educational Planning (UNESCO):  Reforming School Supervision for Quality Improvement, Module 2; Roles and Functions of Supervisors at http://www.iiep.unesco.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Cap_Dev_Training/Training_Materials/Supervision/SUP_Mod2.pdf

Roles of the School Supervisor at http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/53/04711516/0471151653.pdf

Decentralization of Education in the Philippines, Dr. Ethel Agnes P. Valenzuela of SEAMEO INNOTECH, IIEP Workshop, July 12- 16,  2010, Manila Philippines

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University- Southern Luzon and Manila Campus.  A former multi-grade teacher, campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years, NEAP Trained Facilitator for K to 12 etc.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.)