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By : Maria Teresa O. Ajos, PhD

The City Schools Division of Tandag, through the School Management Monitoring and Evaluation (SMME) Unit of the Schools Governance and Operations Division (SGOD), spearheaded the three-day Orientation-Workshop on Basic Education Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (BEMEF).

This activity is anchored from DepEd Order No. 29, S. 2022 – Adoption of the Basic Education Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (BEMEF).  This policy was issued to guide DepEd operating units across governance level in the conduct of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E).

The rules and standards prescribed by this policy supports the global and national commitments of the Department in delivering basic education in the country.  This is also aligned with the Basic Education Development Plan (BEDP) 2030 of the Department.

Together with the Theory of Change, this BEMEF provides DepEd organizational and learner outcomes. Specifically, the framework aims to:

  1. ensure that the agency’s plans, policies, systems, and processes are geared towards the achievement of organizational and learner outcomes;
  2. set the performance measures of the agency where all operating units are expected to contribute;
  3. guide DepEd bureaus, services, regional and schools division offices, schools, and learning centers in developing their respective M&E plan; and
  4. define the roles and responsibilities of DepEd operating units in the M&E system and processes.  BEMEF further supports the institutionalization of a results-based M&E system which will provide DepEd with informed and evidenced-based decision-making and policy development process, as well as improved allocation and management of the government resources, for improved transparency and accountability, in the basic education sector.

As DepEd expands its efforts to improve delivery of basic education services, it also introduces reforms by improving its internal processes and systems towards improved accountability and transparency.  In this regard, it seeks to strengthen its evidence-based decision-making.  The BEMEF is consistent with the principles adopted by oversight agencies such as National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) in implementing the Program Expenditure Matrix (PREXC), National Evaluation Policy Framework of the Philippines (NEPF) and the Adoption of a Results-Based Monitoring and Evaluation Reporting (RbMER) Policy.

In order to carry out and implement this policy with utmost appropriateness and same lens of understanding, the 3-day orientation workshop focused on the discussion of the different processes on the implementation of BEMEF which was conducted last March 20 – 22, 2023 at Goldbar Hotel and Restaurant.

It was a 3-day orientation – workshop managed by the SMME of the SGOD and facilitated by our Asst. Schools Division Superintendent, Roel T. Diamante, with the chiefs of the three functional divisions: OSDS, CID and SGOD.

This 3-day mind cracking orientation-workshop paved the way to the participants in coming up with a unified understanding on how to craft the individual’s M&E Plan and Implementation Plan.

The Schools Division Superintendent of the City Schools of Tandag, Madam Gemma A. De Paz, emphasized Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) as processes that both refer to the measurement of the performance of an organization, a program, a project, or an individual.  These are complementary yet distinct processes depending on the focus and approaches used when they are conducted. The activities involved in monitoring and evaluation are often intertwined, but clear distinctions exist between the two of them.

As we embark to this new challenge, we should always put in our minds this quotes from Osborne & Gaebler;

“If you do not measure results, you cannot tell success from failure. If you cannot see success, you cannot reward it.  If you cannot reward success, you are probably rewarding failure.  If you cannot see success, you cannot correct it. If you can demonstrate results, you can win public support.“

EPS participants holding their certifcates as a proof of their successful attendance to BEMEF Orientation