By Mariela Angella Oladive
The Iloilo Provincial Government, in partnership with the Regional Education Council (REC) and the Department of Education (DepEd) School Division Office (SDO) Iloilo, successfully conducted a two-day intensive training on the Oral Graphic Symbolic Language (OGSL) program for over 100 elementary educators on August 30-31 at Citadines Amigo, Iloilo City.
The training aimed to enhance the instructional techniques of educators teaching kindergarten through grade 3, preparing them to implement the OGSL method and serve as trainers for the Bulig Eskwela (BES) Basa initiative.
The BES Basa initiative, focused on improving literacy, will be implemented in pilot municipalities including Janiuay, Lambunao, Carles, Dingle, Oton, and San Miguel.
“We are embarking on a journey to change education outcomes in the Province of Iloilo, and we are starting with six towns,” said 3rd District Board Member Jason Gonzales.
The sessions, led by DepEd Public Schools District Supervisors (PSDS), covered topics such as Sound Symbol Overlay, Building Word Power, and Language Incorporation. The training also included assessments and a workshop on the Work Application Plan (WAP).
Dr. Nestor Paul Pingil, DepEd Iloilo Chief Education Supervisor, highlighted the crucial role of teachers in advancing literacy, urging them to “work together to operationalize such innovation.”
Maricel Jaen, a kindergarten teacher at Janiuay Pilot Elementary School, expressed her enthusiasm: “My training will help my learners write and identify letter sounds to form basic words. This is a big help for us teachers to be effective and efficient in teaching reading and making every learner a reader.”
The OGSL training is part of the broader Bulig Eskwela sang Probinsya (BES PROBINS) Program, which aims to standardize reading instruction and improve literacy for K-3 learners.
Alongside the BES Basa initiative, the Proof of Concept (POC) intervention is being implemented, focusing on grade 3 learners in partnership with Synergia, Inc.
On Friday, the province also held a leveling session with mayors from the six LGUs to discuss the BES Basa Program.
During the session, findings from recent focus group discussions conducted by the provincial Education Core Group (EDCORE) were highlighted. Identified issues affecting reading skills included malnutrition, absenteeism, behavioral problems, insufficient parental involvement, and inconsistent instructional strategies.
Gonzales emphasized the need for a uniform approach to address these challenges, calling for robust accountability measures and the appointment of focal persons in each LGU.
Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. underscored the significance of the BES Basa program, framing education as a core governance responsibility and setting a goal of 100% literacy. He also outlined Phase 2 of the BES PROBINS Program, which will introduce a tech-vocational track for students with learning gaps, funded by the Special Education Fund (SEF).
