Independent Progress Review

Basic Education Sector Transformation Program

Final Report

February 2018

BEST Independent Progress Review Page i

Contents

Acronyms .................................................................................................................................... iii

Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................... 1
1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4
1.1. Background .................................................................................................................. 4
1.2. Current situation ........................................................................................................... 5
1.3. Major achievements...................................................................................................... 7
2. Progress towards intended outcomes ................................................................................ 8
2.1. Teacher development ................................................................................................... 8
2.1.1. In-service teacher development ...................................................................... 10
2.1.2. Pre-service teacher development.................................................................... 12
2.1.3. Improving teachers access to teaching and learning materials ........................ 13
2.1.4. Systemic support for teachers’ development and performance........................ 13
2.1.5. Summary assessment of progress .................................................................. 14
2.2. Student mastery of the K to 12 curriculum ................................................................... 15
2.2.1. Curriculum alignment with student development ............................................. 17
2.3. Girls and boys participation and completion in target areas ......................................... 17
2.4. Gender responsive and inclusive basic education ....................................................... 19
2.4.1. Gender responsive education ......................................................................... 19
2.4.2. Inclusive basic education ................................................................................ 20
3. Relevance to Australia and the Philippines....................................................................... 21
4. Program modality and implementation ............................................................................. 23
4.1. Effectiveness of the modality....................................................................................... 23
4.2. Monitoring and evaluation ........................................................................................... 25
5. Coordinating and collaborating amongst partners and donors ....................................... 27
6. Lessons learnt for future programs................................................................................... 28
7. Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 31

Annexes
Annex 1 Bibliography
Annex 2 Terms of Reference and Approach and Methodology
Annex 3 Key Informants – Interviews and Focus Groups
Annex 4 BEST Progress against intended outputs and outcomes
Annex 5 Education Policies and Guidelines developed with assistance from BEST
Annex 6 Discussion paper on recommendations and approaches to implementation
Acronyms

ACTRC Assessment, Curriculum and Technology Research Centre

ADB Asian Development Bank

ALS Alternative Learning Systems

ANU Australian National University

AR Action Research

ARMM Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations

BEPS Basic Education Planning System

BESMEF Basic Education Sector Monitoring Evaluation Framework

BESRA Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda

BEST Basic Education Sector Transformation

BHROD Bureau of Human Resources and Organizational Development

BRAC Building Resources Across Communities

CICL Children in Conflict with the Law

CHED Commission on Higher Education

CI Continuous Improvement

CO Central Office

COT Classroom Observation Tool

CQA Curriculum Quality Audit

CRPD Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

DepEd Department of Education

DO Departmental Order

DFAT Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

DSWD Department of Social Welfare and Development

EBEIS Enhanced Basic Education Information System

EDG Education Donor Group

BEST Independent Progress Review Page iii

 EGMA Early Grades Mathematics Assessment

EGRA Early Grades Reading Assessment

EFA Education for All

EOPO End of Program Outcomes

FGD Focus Group Discussions

GAD Gender and Development

GIS Geographical Information System

GPH Government of the Philippines

GRBE Gender Responsive Basic Education policy

ICT Information Communications Technology

IPR Independent Progress Review

JAB Joint Advisory Board

JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency

JHS Junior High School

K Kindergarten

KEQ Key Evaluation Questions

LAC Learning Action Cell

LET Licensure Examination for Teachers

LIS Learner Information System

LRMDS/P Learning Resource Management and Development System/Portal

LRN Learner Registration Number

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MEA Monitoring Evaluation and Adjustment

MOOE Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses

MTB-MLE Mother Tongue Based – Multi lingual Education

NAT National Achievement Test

NCR National Capital Region

BEST Independent Progress Review Page iv

 NEAP National Educators Academy of the Philippines

NEDA National Economic and Development Authority

NGO Non-Government Organisation

ODE Office of Development Effectiveness

OECD-DAC Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – Development

Assistance Committee

PBEd Philippine Business for Education

PBSP Philippine Business for Social Progress

PDD Program Design Document

PISA Program for International Student Assessment

PMIS Project Management Information System

PMC Project Management Committee

PMS Project Management Services

PPST Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers

PROBE Philippine Australian Project for Basic Education

PSC Project Steering Committee

PSCO Project Services Coordination Office

PTDNS Pre-service Teacher Development Needs Study

PNU Philippine Normal University

MIPE: PRIME Muslim and Indigenous People’s Education: Philippine Response to Indigenous
Peoples’ and Muslim Education

RatPlan Rationalization Plan

RCTQ Philippine National Research Center for Teacher Quality

RPMS Results-based Performance Management System

SAT Self Assessment Tool

SBIS School Building Information System

SBM School-Based Management

SEA-PLM South East Asia Primary Learning Metrics

BEST Independent Progress Review Page v

 SEDIP Secondary Education Development Improvement Project

SHS Senior High School

SIL Summer Institute of Linguistics

SIP School Improvement Plan

SPED Special Education

SPHERE Support to the Philippine Basic Education Reforms

STRIVE Strengthening Implementation of Basic Education in selected provinces of the

Visayas

TAF The Asia Foundation

TDNS Teacher Development Needs Study

TEDNS Teacher Educator Development Needs Study

TEI Teacher Education Institution

TIMSS Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study

ToC Theory of Change

TOR Terms of Reference

TWG Technical Working Group

UDL Universal Design in Learning

UIS Unified Information System

UNE University of New England

UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

UP University of the Philippines

USAID United States Agency for International Development

BEST Independent Progress Review Page vi

Executive Summary
The Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) Program is Australia’s largest partnership in the
Philippines. It commenced in 2013 with four implementing partners continuing the work of previous
education investments. A Facilitating Contractor was officially mobilised in August 2014. The program
was originally designed as a 12 year program with corresponding end of program outcomes (EOPOs).
The aim of BEST was to help the Philippines Government improve the quality of educational outcomes
by providing more equitable access to all levels of basic education with improved service delivery
through better governance, and to assist implement the K–12 school system.
BEST involves seven key partner organisations (1) Department of Education (DepEd) as the main
beneficiary and strategic lead agency; (2) Commission on Higher Education (CHED); (3) Cardno
Emerging Markets as the Facilitating Contractor; (4) Philippine Business for Education (PBEd)
implementing student teacher scholarships; (5) Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP)
undertaking classroom construction; (6) Philippine National Research Center for Teacher Quality
(RCTQ) a research partnership between the Philippine Normal University (PNU) and the University of
New England (UNE); and (7) Assessment, Curriculum, Technology Research Centre (ACTRC), a
research partnership between the University of the Philippines (UP) and University of Melbourne.
BEST has been affected by changes of government from its inception. Australian elections in 2013 led
to a year-long mobilisation delay eventually commencing officially in August 2014, followed by a
significant reprioritisation of the aid budget in 2014/2015 with a reduction in funding. In 2016 there was
a change in Government in the Philippines (GPH) with the Duterte administration coming to power.
This new administration resulted in significant changes to the senior executive arrangements in
DepEd, particularly affecting the structure and functional responsibilities in the central office.
The purpose of this Independent Progress Review (IPR) is to provide the evidence that the program is
on track, still relevant, and coordinated with other DFAT programs. DepEd and DFAT will use the
evaluation to improve BEST implementation to 2019. The IPR also will inform Australia’s future
engagement in national education within the scope of the current Philippines Government policies and
priorities. The IPR takes into account the challenges that have taken place outside of the BEST’s
control.
Key Findings
BEST has only effectively been implemented in its current form for two and half years. This is due in
part to the slow mobilisation period and the changes in government policy, administration, budgets
and programming. Despite this BEST, as a partnership program, has achieved significant results by
building on previous Australian Government initiatives:

• BEST has made major contributions to organisational development and results-based

performance management; continuous improvement programs; implementation of the
rationalization plan; and to developing a culture of monitoring, evaluation and evidence-based
planning. The introduction of the K–12 program has been a major achievement of the Philippines
Government supported by technical assistance through BEST.
• BEST has also supported DepEd to develop and implement a range of important policies supported
by research from the two associated research centres including RCTQ’s development of the Philippine
Professional Teaching Standards (PPST). The standards were internationally benchmarked and
linked to the ASEAN 2015 agenda and the Philippine Qualifications Framework.
• BEST has delivered 700 teaching scholarships through PBEd to help improve the quality of
teachers through innovative selection and support programs. More than 250 new classrooms have
been built by PBSP, incorporating improved standards for disaster risk reduction, gender equality
and social inclusion.
• BEST has supported the ongoing development of ICT functions in the DepEd including: the Enhanced
Basic Education Information System, Learner Information System, Learning Resources Portal, School
Building Information System, Project Management Information Systems and support for the Human
Resources Information System.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 1

In terms of progress towards intended program outcomes the IPR found that for teacher
development and student mastery of the curriculum:

• There are major difficulties in attributing progress of teacher development to BEST. Most of the
BEST interventions in teacher development were not initiatives developed by the program but a
continuation of practices that had been introduced by other programs.
• On present progress, teachers do not yet have sufficiently enhanced capability to effect
improvements in student mastery as a result of the BEST program. Regional and divisional
offices, however, as well as school heads, seem to have vigorous continuous improvement (CI)
practices and information-based planning cultures which can be attributable to BEST. These
provide a strong basis for targeted, systemic support and monitoring of teacher development for
improving students’ mastery of K–12 curriculum.
• BEST-supported training has been used to improve delivery of the curriculum, however this has
been limited. It may not yet have reached classroom teachers to an adequate level.
• BEST has mainly worked through DepEd’s national in-service training institute, the National
Education Academy of the Philippines (NEAP), to cascade training to school heads and teachers
to improve teaching of Filipino, English, Mathematics and Science in line with the K-12 curriculum.
• The National Achievement Test (NAT) scores for 2015-16 have not been released at the national and
regional levels preventing any comparison of student performance within and outside of BEST regions.
• Students’ scores at the elementary level show potential for attaining an improvement in the
passing rate on the NAT achievement test, particularly if strategies to target specific cohorts and
areas are developed to maximise impact during the remainder of the program.
• For junior high school, improvements in passing rates are not as attainable. It is likely that the junior
high school (JHS) curriculum will need revision, which is not achievable within the remaining time.

In terms of girls’ and boys’ participation and completion rates, the IPR found that:

• Increases in participation rates have been observed nationally, however there is no significant
difference between BEST and non-BEST regions.
• Key informants suggest that BEST has been able to enhance existing processes used for
identifying those learners that have been traditionally marginalised and isolated. BEST has
supported community mapping, strengthening programs for indigenous peoples, Muslim learners
and those with special needs, and encouraging the return of drop-outs through Alternative
Learning Systems (ALS) support.
• BEST has enhanced programs and services for children with disabilities to encourage
participation. However this has been limited to a few clusters of schools in BEST regions. It
involved orientation and training on inclusive education (capacity building) rather than a school-
based integrated approach.
• Completion rates have remained generally lower than targeted, with more boys dropping out of
school in the elementary grades and even higher rates in the secondary level. The ALS supported
by BEST may address this to some extent.
• In terms of progress towards a more gender responsive and inclusive basic education
system the IPR found: DepEd’s progress on gender and development since 2013 has been
significant with some support from BEST. 1 However, BEST has not comprehensively considered
how to mainstream or target attention to gender equality and women’s empowerment in
implementing its sub-components.
• Progress in gender equality and social inclusion has largely been the contribution to the
development of various policies and departmental issuances, foremost of which is the Gender
Responsive Basic Education Policy and the development of a framework for institutionalisation.

1
For example, DepEd has already achieved sex-disaggregated data on DepEd learners and employees, an
annual GAD plan and budget (which was supported by BEST but not yet endorsed by the Philippine Commission
of Women), and integration of gender in the learning curriculum and textbooks.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 2

• There is selective rather than comprehensive attention to gender equality, and it is unclear
whether the recently-produced ‘BEST Gender Strategy’ has any buy-in from DepEd.
• Mainstreaming disability-inclusion is starting to take root some of which can be attributed to the work
of the BEST program in Region 8. BEST’s progress to date on disability-inclusion has demonstrated
Australia’s value-add, and suggests an increased focus in this area may be warranted. There appear
to be some significant localised results that should be evaluated for scale up.

There is unanimous agreement amongst stakeholders that BEST is still relevant. However, the degree
of relevance has been affected by DepEd’s requirement to use BEST as a flexible fund to meet its
emerging needs, deviating from the intended programmatic approach. Relevance to the Philippines and
Australia could be enhanced with a greater focus on Australia’s comparative advantage such as gender
responsive education, inclusive education and education-employment linkages.
In terms of the program modality and implementation the IPR found that:

• The strength of the approach to BEST was in the co-design and co-development which instilled a
strong sense of ownership with DepEd. The weakness is in the co-implementation approach, lack
of full adoption of governance structures, limited collaboration, no co-location, and informal
decision-making processes, resulting in fragmentation of resources and a lack of cohesion.
• The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system established for BEST has not been adequately
implemented to properly report on the contributions DFAT has made towards achieving
intermediate or end of program outcomes (EOPOs).
• The research undertaken by RCTQ and ACTRC was found to be of high quality with evidence of
its application within DepEd. However the extent of its use for policy and practice was not clearly
discernible. There did not appear to be a suitable process for DepEd to capture all of its value
given the technical working groups (TWGs) have not been operational.

The IPR found that donors had experienced a decline in coordination with each other during the BEST
implementation period. This does not imply BEST contributed to the decline. However, the IPR found
that a number of donors felt that many opportunities to create more value through joint programming
were being missed. There is an opportunity to help DepEd to to build the capacity of its Project
Management Services (PMS) to enable better donor coordination, particularly to donor investments to
improve areas such as budget execution and resource mobilisation.
Recommendations
The findings in this report support the following recommendations:

1. Implement formal program governance structures and improved contractual arrangements with
partners, based on a pragmatic revision of the program design, to counteract the informal
decision-making processes and improve accountability, transparency and formal communication.
(High priority)
2. Improve mechanisms to better support DepEd to evaluate and adopt the research produced by
RCTQ and ACTRC into policies and practice in DepEd. (High priority)
3. Strengthen the program’s M&E to better understand the contribution BEST is making towards
achieving end of program outcomes (EOPOs), and to improve accountability, transparency, and
to understand what works, what doesn’t and under what conditions. (High priority)
4. Sharpen the focus on, and increase resources to, improving teaching, learning, participation,
gender equality and inclusion, and education-employment linkages in target divisions through the
whole school approach, in line with the intentions of the BEST design. (High priority)
5. Develop a clearing house for local innovative strategies, policies and practices at the school level.
(Medium priority)
6. Assist DepEd to implement more effective donor coordination to create more value from available
donor resources. (Medium priority)

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 3

1. Introduction
This Independent Progress Review (IPR) for the Philippines Basic Education Sector Transformation
(BEST) Program was commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) through
an open tender process. It was conducted by Coffey International Development (Coffey) between
August and October 2017. Terms of reference are provided in Annex 1 along with a summary of the
approach and methodology.
The purpose of this Independent Progress Review (IPR) is to assess whether the program is on track,
still relevant, and coordinated with other DFAT programs. DepEd and DFAT will use the evaluation to
improve BEST implementation to 2019. The IPR will also inform Australia’s future engagement in
national education within the scope of the current Philippines Government policies and priorities. The
IPR takes into account the challenges that have taken place outside of the BEST’s control.
Specifically, the objectives of the IPR are to:

1. Provide evidence-based assessment to demonstrate whether the program is on track to deliver

what the design committed to achieve.
2. Assess whether the program is still relevant to Australia and Philippines policy priorities and
highlight areas for improvement for the remainder of the implementation period.
3. Evaluate whether the modality of the BEST program supports or impedes the efficient and
effective delivery of the program.
4. Assess how BEST collaborates with other programs funded by the Australian Government,
programs delivered by the Philippines Government, and other international organisations.
5. To provide advice and lessons learnt to inform the scale and possible options for Australia’s future
engagement in national education within the scope of the current Philippines Government policies
and priorities.

The IPR conducted 48 interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with over 220 informants
(groups are listed in Annex 3). Secondary information was obtained through document reviews,
progress reports and information systems maintained by the Department of Education (DepEd).

1.1. Background
BEST is Australia’s largest partnership in the Philippines. It commenced in 2013 with four
implementing partners continuing the work of previous education investments. It has a high profile as
a DFAT flagship education program and now involves seven key partner organisations:

1. Department of Education (DepEd) as the main beneficiary and strategic lead agency
2. Commission on Higher Education (CHED)
3. Cardno Emerging Markets as the Facilitating Contractor
4. Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) implementing student teacher scholarships
5. Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) implementing classroom construction
6. Philippine National Research Center for Teacher Quality (RCTQ) a research partnership between
the Philippine Normal University(PNU) and the University of New England (UNE)
7. Assessment, Curriculum, Technology Research Centre, a research partnership between the
University of the Philippines (UP) and University of Melbourne.

BEST was developed to support the reform agenda of the Aquino administration (2010-16). This
reform has at its core the development and delivery of a K–12 school system of improved quality and
inclusiveness, and strengthening of the Basic Education System Reform Agenda (BESRA), introduced
in 2006. BESRA was concerned with the organisational reform and decentralisation of responsibility
and authority for service delivery to regional and divisional offices and school principals.
The BEST program covers a period of six years from July 2013 to June 2019 although it officially
commenced in its current form in August 2014. BEST is now in its fourth year of implementation, with

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 4

some components having started earlier and having been assimilated into the program in between
2014 and 2015. 2 The Facilitating Contractor, Cardno Emerging Markets, commenced in August 2014.
The goal of BEST is that girls and boys have the competence and skills to make an increased
contribution to economic growth and stability in the Philippines. The targeted end of program
outcomes (EOPOs) are that:

1. More children are able to demonstrate improved mastery of basic education curriculum
competencies (especially in English, Mathematics and Science) and differences in learning
outcomes for boys and girls are reduced in target areas.
2. More boys and girls participate in and complete basic education in target areas.
3. DepEd is better able to deliver basic education services that are more gender responsive,
inclusive and with increased accountability.

The program design is based on the theory that the third EOPO supports the other two, which are
organised under two program components:
Component 1: Improving teaching and learning comprises the following strategies: (i) pre- and in-
service education; (ii) curriculum and assessment reform; (iii) materials development and accessibility
(iv) inclusive curriculum strategies for distinctive populations; (v) effective school leadership; and (vi)
increased education facilities.
Component 2: Strengthening systems which covers evidence-based policy and planning,
organisation development, Unified Information Systems and specifically gender equality
mainstreaming through a gender strategy.

1.2. Current situation

This Independent Progress Review (IPR) takes into account the design, development and
implementation of BEST against a background of significant changes from the time of the completion
of the design in September 2012 to August 2017.
BEST was affected by changes of government from its inception. Australian elections in 2013 led to a
year-long mobilisation delay eventually commencing officially in August 2014. In 2016 there was a
change in Government in the Philippines (GPH) with the Duterte administration coming to power. This
new administration resulted in significant changes to the senior executive arrangements in DepEd,
particularly affecting the structure and functional responsibilities in the central office. The transition to
the new administration has been protracted due to the new senior personnel and structural changes
and changing roles and responsibilities. Part of the delay has been due to the review and updating of
the Rationalization Plan, particularly in relation to the central office structure.
The Rationalization Plan was approved in 2015 and subsequently implemented at the regional level
where it is now complete. At the central level, however, it is still a work in progress with the new
administration appointing new executives and implementing a new accountability structure in which
senior officers report individually rather than as thematic teams to the Secretary.
During the implementation of BEST, DepEd has transitioned to the full implementation of the K–12
program. Despite some changes in strategic priorities, the K–12 program is secure and being fully
implemented at the sub-national level. Support for the K–12 program is integral to the GPH’s inclusive
growth agenda and part of the new administration’s ‘brand’ (Government of the Philippines, 2017). As
Secretary Briones has emphasised: “K to 12 is not about simply adding school years to basic
education to be at par with international norm, but more about the content and the intended outcomes
in terms of upgrading education quality”. (Briones, 2016)

2
The classroom construction program delivered through PBSP started in August 2013 to respond to the national
classroom shortage. The research centres (ACTRC and RCTQ) originally started in 2012 through a PSLP grant
and were eventually incorporated in the BEST program through an amendment of the contract in April 2015.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 5

Education has retained its importance under the new Duterte administration, with the largest budget
among line agencies. 3 The priorities of the Briones administration in DepEd currently focus on budget
utilisation, reflecting the slow spending of previous administrations and the significant increases in the
education budget over the last year. As of June 2017 DepEd had only obligated 34% of its total
budget, causing concerns that it will not be able to spend its allocated budget by the end of the
financial year. Financial monitoring will be a priority to ensure budget utilisation rates are improved.
This will be supported by procurement reforms and improved disbursement of funds to regions. Other
priorities now include implementing the Alternative Learning System (ALS), preventive drug education,
and reproductive health and disaster preparedness.
Although BEST officially commenced in its current form in August 2014 it has only been effectively
implemented for two and a half years up until August 2017 due in part to the slow mobilisation period
and the changes in administration and programming. The design was originally for a 12-year program
with corresponding end of program outcomes (EOPOs).
Reductions of the Australian aid budget during implementation of BEST resulted in adjustments to
BEST planned activities, including reducing the number of classrooms constructed (from 1000 to 500).
Further reductions in budget in 2015 resulted in additional changes and dropping some activities
(DFAT, 2015-17). BEST was designed as a scalable program, and DFAT considered the changes had
little impact on effectiveness (DFAT, 2015). 4
The program has built extensively on previous Australian Government initiatives (and other donors),
notably STRIVE, EPIP, SEDIP, PRIME, HRODF, SPHERE and PROBE, and made significant
contributions to the DepEd’s reforms. This is an effective use of resources with a focus on continuing
organisational development, continuous improvement (CI), information systems, and institutional
monitoring and evaluation. It has resulted in improvements at all levels of the education system, with a
nationwide impact.
The work of the RCTQ and ACTRC has produced quality research to support the education system in
the Philippines. These initiatives have increased the status of both partner universities through their
association and continue to publish significant pieces of research which will attract funding and
support. Demands for services from both research centres appear to be increasing which is indicative
of the quality and relevance of their work.
PBEd, PBSP and ACTRC are essentially on track in terms of their plans, given the reduction in
budget. However, RTCQ reported that it was behind its planned schedule in the expected release of
the Philippines Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST). The delay may be attributed to the
difficulties translating research into policy and practice, and being unable to make a start on the pre-
service curriculum reform because of CHED’s timetable. RCTQ in consequence changed the order of
expected deliverables with NEAP and BHROD to develop and pilot key tools supportive of PPST by
addressing different tools linked to Career Stages with the Classroom Observation Tool (COT), the
Self Assessment Tool (SAT), and a more robust and quality-teacher focused Results-based
Performance Management System (RPMS).

3
Education increased from 11.4% of the national budget in 2010 to 17% in 2017 (Briones, 2016).
4
Other reductions included: dropping planned lighthouse schools (inclusive education), science and computer
laboratories, a UIS data centre, Grade 4 reading, DRR assistance and small grants for schools.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 6

1.3. Major achievements
BEST has achieved some significant milestones and although interventions have been generally
fragmented they are producing results in key areas. These are discussed in more detail in the next
sections. Annex 4 summarises the major achievements of the program based on an analysis of all six
monthly progress reports. 5
The major achievements from all BEST partners include:
• Pre-service teacher education: 700
teaching scholarships provided under the Box 1. Implementing Senior High School (SHS)
STEP-UP program (PBEd); P r e - s e r v i c e In the period between mid-2014 and 2016 DepEd
Teacher Development Needs Study, the managed to set up the entire sub-sector of Senior
Philippine Professional Standards for Secondary School from scratch. Undoubtedly the
Teachers – Career Stage 1, Curriculum enterprise of establishing this new high stakes sector
Quality Audit program, Teacher Educator was the most urgent undertaking preoccupying
Development Needs Study (RCTQ). DepEd during the years of BEST. The program
provided key support, including the provision of 15
• In-service teacher development and additional advisers, ‘extra pairs of hands’, to enable
support: Philippine Professional Standards this timetable to be met. It helped DepEd develop a
for Teachers – Career Stage 1 to 4; Teacher policy and guide for hiring SHS teachers. It assisted
Development Needs Study (RCTQ) (subject all the regions and School Division Officers with
strengthening) - systems developed and technical assistance to prepare and implement
trainers trained; trainings delivered in Action Senior High School plans and prepare resources
Research, formative assessment, Learning (including an SHS manual of operations, school
Action Cells for Information Communications program offerings, Curriculum Guides for Senior
Technology (LAC ICT); career guidance and High School Core Curriculum Subjects, Applied
counselling modules for year 10 students; Tracks and Specialised Subjects). Resources were
support for the integration of mother tongue uploaded and made accessible online for use by all
educators. A Senior High School communication
into lesson plans.
strategy contributed to high public awareness on the
• Education leadership: School Heads importance of Senior High School, and the high
Development Program (SHDP) developed transition rate from Grade 10 to Grade 11.
and the National Educators Academy of the Successful implementation owed much to BEST’s
Philippines (NEAP) supported to roll out it support in achieving its SHS agenda. Australia was
nationally to 23,000 school heads. Training the only donor providing this support.
of superintendents and assistant
superintendents in educational leadership, organisational transformation and continuous
improvement.
• Senior high school implementation: Funding for a DepEd technical team to implement SHS
(See Box 1). Senior High School (SHS) Assessment Models: Policy Level Concept Report
completed (RCTQ-SiMERR).
• Education facilities: Construction of more than 250 classrooms to new standards for disaster risk
reduction, with facilities for children living with disabilities and male and female toilets; an extensive
social preparation program with local stakeholders to prepare for school maintenance and support
(PBSP).
• Planning, policy and evidence base: BEST contributed to more than 56 policies, guidelines and
studies supporting evidence-based policy development. 6 A full list of policies, guidelines and
studies developed with assistance from BEST are given in Annex 5. Monitoring and evaluation
training and guidelines at all levels in DepEd to support evidence-based policy and continuous
improvement was provided, supported by development of nationwide pool of continuous
improvement experts and support for harmonising plans from national to local (Basic Education
Planning System – BEPS), support for the Basic Education Research Agenda, and roll out of the
School Improvement Plans (UNICEF and BEST).

5
RCTQ adopted a systems approach within its own areas of responsibility to ensure research activities were
properly aligned. DepEd is now interested in adopting this approach.
6
Annex 5 provides a list of DepEd policies supported by BEST with a corresponding list of policies and studies
identified in BEST progress reporting. There is a slight discrepancy between the two lists which requires further
resolution by the BEST team in order to determine the actual number of policies supported.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 7

• Unified information systems: Hardware, software, development and training support for the
Enhanced Basic Education Information System (EBEIS), Learner Information System (LIS),
Program Management Information System (PMIS), Learning Resources Management and
Development System (LRMDS or LR Portal), and the School Building Information Systems (SBIS).
• Organisational development: Extensive support for implementing the Rationalization Plan
(RATPLAN); implementation of the Results-based Performance Management System (RPMS)
and continuous improvement (CI) program; training in strategic human resource management and
merit-based recruitment.

2. Progress towards intended outcomes

This section discusses IPR’s findings on BEST’s current contribution towards achieving the intended
end of program outcomes, specifically improvements in:

• Teacher development
• Student mastery of the K–12 curriculum
• Girls and boys participation and completion in target areas
• Gender responsive and inclusive basic education.

Judgements made by the IPR team relied heavily on information from key informants and research
studies rather than standardised quantitative data. Measuring progress towards intended outcomes for
BEST was somewhat problematic due to the following:

• The programmatic M&E system was poorly constructed and not adequately implemented to
monitor and evaluate BEST’s contributions towards intended outcomes.
• BEST built on previous initiatives without establishing a clear baseline for all investments on
commencement, which limits the ability to determine the impact of BEST’s contributions. 7 There
are baselines for some key areas, for instance RCTQ’s research on pre-and in-service teacher
knowledge, teacher educator concerns and understandings, and the differences between current
pre-service TEI program outcomes compared with those mandated within the PPST (Career
Stage 1).
• DepEd focused on building foundational capacity at the central level during the first few years of
implementation with many impacts unlikely to affect teachers and learners at the local level at
this stage.
• A fragmented approach to implementing reforms makes it difficult to determine the contribution
BEST has made compared to other key contributors.
• National achievement test (NAT) scores were not available for 2015/2016, limiting any quantitative
analysis of BEST and non-BEST regions in terms of educational improvements for the
implementation period.

DepEd’s continued focus appears to be on establishing its core foundational elements at the central
level with which to support decentralisation efforts. This investment in foundational outcomes aligns
with the original design document. However there needs to be a balance between focus at the central
level and testing the impacts of these investments and policies at the local level through
complementary interventions. Feedback from the local level is critical in order to ensure local needs
are met to improve teaching and learning, and lessons can be used to inform scale up strategies.

2.1. Teacher development

The intended outcome for Teacher Development in the design document is that “Teachers are better
qualified and capable to deliver the curriculum”. 8

7
For instance what was the status of the EBEIS, LIS or M&E systems when BEST had commenced? How much
work had been done?
8
BEST PDD, 2012, p. 111.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 8

The Teacher Development Needs Study (TDNS) was developed by RCTQ to test teachers’ K-12
competency knowledge in English, Filipino, Maths and Science at the Grades 6, 8 and 10 levels to
assess teachers’ competency and knowledge in the K-12 curriculum subjects. The survey was intended
as an empirical base for developing in-service programs.9 Its key findings were that:

• Teachers possess substantial subject knowledge.

• Most teachers show insufficient skills in higher-order thinking; i.e. analysis, synthesis and
evaluation in all subjects.
• Teacher performance in junior high school (JHS) science competencies is more problematic than
in other subjects.
• In-service training should jointly target teacher pedagogical skills and content knowledge
development to improve teaching for students’ deeper conceptual understanding. 10

These findings lay an evidence base, with a strong theoretical developmental perspective, to build
national ways for DepEd Bureaus and NEAP to create professional learning programs that will
address the specific needs of classroom teachers. Also, these findings with in-service teachers
mirrored the results of the findings of the Pre-service Teacher Development Needs Study (PTDNS)
with final-year pre-service teachers. This meant that the results of Graduate teachers did not perform
at levels much different to practising teachers with years of experience. This casts doubts on both the
quality of pre-service subject knowledge training, and the nature and focus of recent in-service
support. It also follows that the performance of beginning teachers in the near future will perpetuate
the low performance level that currently exists unless improvements to pre-service teacher education
are instigated, such as the improvement of pre-service teacher education programs.
The ACTRC study on teacher practices in formative assessment yielded valuable information about
the capacity of teachers’ feedback to enable and extend students’ own learning. The findings of the
study were that teachers mainly stayed at the lower, closed end of feedback, through teaching at the
whole class level and mainly seeking student responses in the form of right or wrong answers to
closed questions. These are not practices consistent with initiating students’ thinking or developing
higher order skills.
There are no available DepEd data on teacher competency levels. Although teachers conduct
competency-based assessments annually at their schools, data do not appear to be aggregated
beyond the school, in spite of the intention of the Rationalization Plan that national planning for
teacher competency development should be based on needs identification at the level of the school.
Against this information on teachers’ competency, progress can be measured against whether the
intended teacher development is relevant to, and adequate for, delivering the new curriculum.
The new curriculum aims to develop critical thinking, problem solving, and technology-assisted
teaching (21st century skills), and the progressive deepening of students’ grasp of core concepts. It
incorporates curriculum contextualisation strategies to provide for all learners. Significant amongst
these is the introduction of the mother tongue-based multi-lingual policy (MTB/MLE) from Kindergarten
to Grade 3. 11 These features all require teachers to be equipped with new skills.
There are major difficulties in attributing progress of teacher development to BEST. Most of the BEST
interventions in teacher development (Learning Action Cells – LAC and Action Research) were not
initiatives developed by the program but a continuation of earlier practices institutionalised by DepEd.
All of the organisational and systemic improvements that affect teachers’ work, such as results-based
performance management, needs-based planning, divisional support for schools, school-based
management (SBM) and monitoring evaluation and adjustment (MEA) originated in earlier donor

9
Philippine National Research Centre for Teacher Quality, Teacher Development Needs Assessment (TDNS)
Summary Report, p. 2.
10
TDNS, pp.5-6.
11
Leonor Magtolis Briones, Secretary, Department of Education Quality, Accessible, Relevant, and Liberating
Basic Education for All, Education Summit 2016, 3 November 2016; DepEd Strategic Directions, 2017-2022.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 9

programs. It is good development practice to keep building on improved systems and capacities, but it
makes it very difficult to be able to attribute the effectiveness of their operation to BEST’s involvement.
In addition, there are no data at central level (either in DepEd or the Facilitating Contractor) on the scope
of intended participation in training activities, on actual participants, nor evaluations of the effectiveness
of capacity building or training. A baseline (school year 2014/15) was developed by BEST for DepEd in
line with the scope of BEST’s agenda. But on most targets it is nationwide and does not serve as a
baseline for comparative assessment of BEST-supported regions, divisions or schools.
In the face of these challenges, the evidence used for appraising BEST’s contribution to teacher
development is firstly identification of BEST’s engagement through its planning and reports, and secondly,
through evidence from documents, stakeholder interviews, focus group discussions and site visits.

2.1.1. In-service teacher development

Frameworks for competency development

The Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) wa s developed by RCTQ-SiMERR. The
PPST elaborates, for the first time in operational terms, what is meant by teacher quality in the K-12
Reform. The findings of the T eacher Dev el opm ent Need s Asse ssm ent (TDNS) in relation to
the new K-12 curriculum provide concrete evidence to support the focus of the first Domain in the PPST,
Content Knowledge and Pedagogy.The PPST have been formally adopted by DepEd (DO No. 42, S.
2017). This adoption will ultimately ensure that pre-service teacher education, all in-service curricular
training, and the teacher career progression all align with curriculum requirements. As stated in the
Departmental Order (dated August 11, 2017), “the PPST shall be used as a basis for all learning and
development programs to ensure that teachers are properly equipped to effectively implement the K to
12 Program. It can also be used for the selection and promotion of teachers. All performance appraisals
for teachers shall be based on this set of standards”. This prospect validated the decision of RCTQ to
pursue the development of the tools, Classroom Observation Tool (COT), Self Assessment Tool (SAT)
and Results-based Performance Management System (RPMS), based on the PPST.
When ready the PPST will be rolled out with prepared manuals, teacher assessment tools and training
programs, and will need to be aligned to the qualification standards and standardised salary scales of
the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
The BEST Teacher Development team also worked with RCTQ to use both National Assessment Test
(NAT) results analysis and the TDNS to scope the development of the main in-service training supported
by BEST, teacher training for improving learning. This is the training known as the PRIMALS (EngIish,
Filipino, Science and Mathematics). However, the target group of the PRIMALS is elementary Grades 4-
6, not junior high school (JHS), where teachers’ competency in Mathematics and Science is much more
in need of development.
BEST has supported two other kinds of in-service training: Action Research and training for establishing
effective Learning Action Cells (LACS), the Philippines’ mechanism for school-based professional
development. Both of these are mechanisms for demand-driven professional development, enabling
teachers to make their own choices for developing their understanding and skills.
Action Research (AR) proposals from National Regional Capital (NCR) (this activity was undertaken
mainly in NCR) show eclectic teacher choices. Only ten of the 54 AR proposals have a focus on areas
of weakness identified by the TDNS, indicating perhaps that an opportunity has been missed to direct
trainers’ attention to the implications of the TDNS for teacher improvement.
Learning Action Cells Knowledge and experience of the LACs are the most widespread amongst
stakeholders of any of reforms for improving teaching. The policy establishing them was promulgated
in June 2016 and the universalisation of LACS is new. BEST supported DepEd’s policy on the LAC
with starter kits, materials and ‘least learnt skills training’ which addresses competency weaknesses
that come out of individual teacher performance assessments. LACS occur frequently (often once a
fortnight) and are integrated into regional and school plans, and divisional supervision. This all
suggests that the BEST-supported establishment of LACs has been successful.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 10

Much discussion in focus groups in NCR, Region 8 and Region 6 was held on the functioning of the
LACs. While it is evident that they are active in the urban schools visited, teachers’ planning for the
focus of professional development is typically unstructured. 12
The LACS could be a mechanism to support more systematic and in-depth training than BEST is able
to achieve with the cascade model, and could be much more targeted to teachers’ skills development.
As an example, DepEd reported that the 28 modules in early literacy and language developed by
USAID had been rolled out through the LACs over a two-year period. The policy mandating LACS in
2016 specifies as their purpose supporting teachers’ capacity to meet new challenges in the K–12
curriculum. 13

The development of teacher competencies

This subsection is concerned with training directly related to improving practicing teachers’ skills to
deliver the K–12 curriculum. The training is focused on improving subject pedagogy in English,
Filipino, Mathematics and Science (the PRIMALS), formative assessment training, and training for
using Information Communications Technology (ICT) in teaching.
Subject related training. It is unlikely that BEST-supported training to improve delivery of the
curriculum has been adequate. It may not yet have fully reached classroom teachers. BEST has
mainly worked through DepEd’s national in-service training institute, the National Education Academy
of the Philippines (NEAP), to cascade training to school heads and teachers. Figure 1 showing the
number of beneficiaries of BEST-supported training is likely to be a record of the first step of the
cascade which involves capacity building of trainers for on-training of head teachers and teachers.
Neither DepEd Central
Office nor BEST has been Master teacher
able to retrieve data on School Board
participants trained
through the cascaded Teacher
Training participants

program or its ICT coordinator

effectiveness, so whether
Learning Action Cell
on-training of teachers
has occurred extensively Parent Teacher Association
across the target regions Superintendent
cannot be readily
TEI Faculty
ascertained. But the
trainer training is recent Supervisor
(2017), making it unlikely Trainer, facilitator, coach
that the former has taken
place, except where Principal/SH
trainers were school 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000
heads or master trainers,
numbers trained
who on-trained their own
school staff, as was
evident in some city Figure 1 BEST Records of beneficiaries of BEST supported training
schools visited.
The brevity of BEST training limits its adequacy.The main curriculum-relevant training is short and
fragmented. It is only one week for all subjects and appears not to have been delivered to all six BEST
supported districts. The PRIMALS have so far mainly occurred in Region 6, 7 and 10. However, work
focused on PRIMALS 7-10 is scheduled for the current annual plan. Other regions have featured

12
Comment in the Interview with school staff in Iloilo City, 12 September.
13
DepEd, 2016. Policy on the Learning Action Cell as K to 12 Basic Education Program School Based Continuing
Professional Development Strategy for the improvement of Teaching and Learning.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 11

contextualisation (Region 7), LAC set up, ICT (NCR), Region 8 and 6) and Action Research Training
(NCR).
Formative assessment. BEST has also supported in-service teacher training in formative
assessment, which DepEd had mandated for implementation in schools in 2015. The second stage of
ACTRC’s study noted that after the issuance of the policy guidelines (DepEd Order 8), formative
assessment practice had broadened in the classrooms investigated in the first stage of the study. 14
This result may perhaps be due to the efforts of both ACTRC (supporting formative assessment
guidelines) and BEST-supported training. In two of the BEST supported regions the training
implementation involved the BEST curriculum adviser. BEST IPR classroom visits in Regions 6 and 8
showed formative assessment in use and understood by the teachers.
ICT training. Where ICT training has been rolled out, stakeholders in FGDs in the three regions
visited affirmed some experience of transformative effects. A key one was enabling teachers to share
and network electronically, like a virtual LAC. ICT significantly eased their administrative burdens
through quick uploading of student enrolment, performance and tracking data. It has also enhanced
their conditions of work. For example, teachers are now being informed by payroll that they are due for
an increment, instead of having to make the paper case for it. ICT training had improved the delivery
of materials to the classroom through the use of PowerPoint and videos. However, these tools are just
another mode of didactic teaching. ICT is not yet helping interactive teaching.
However, the use of technology in schools has also created an information divide, with many teachers,
students and schools being left behind if they cannot access these systems or alternative modes of
access cannot be provided.
Overall, the resourcing of teaching improvement by BEST has been underdeveloped. For the period
from the first to the third Annual Plan, related activities account for around 28% of activity expenditure.
Not implementing the grants15 for decentralised teacher development proposed in the design
document has contributed to this low expenditure. In 2015 the under-spend in Teaching and Learning
was moved to other areas of the program.

2.1.2. Pre-service teacher development

STEP-UP, a Philippine Business for Education-PBEd intervention, has provided models worthy of
emulation in candidate recruitment and mentoring. Of the approximately 700 teachers selected and
enrolled, 79 have graduated. A focus group discussion with students revealed a high level of
comprehension, competence and commitment. In the scale of the Philippines’ teacher workforce the
value of this investment lies in its demonstration effect. BEST should consider developing a case
study analysis for CHED to demonstrate the features of the STEP-UP program that could be scaled-
up in the future reform of the pre-service degree.
Parallel to the in-service teacher development needs assessment, a Pre-service Teacher
Development Needs Study (PTDNS) was completed in 2014. As with the TDNS findings, less than
half of the graduating teachers were found to be competent in elementary or JHS science knowledge
or in elementary mathematics.16
However, CHED has not yet approved the pre-service curriculum review that RCTQ had expected
to run concurrent with the K-12 reforms. RCTQ calculates that this delay has set the Philippines
back two years in its agenda.14 Since 2016, RCTQ has been working instead through a PNU
Memorandum of Understanding with a network of 23 selected Teacher Education Institutions (TEI) on
gap analysis of their pre-service curriculum based on the Beginning Teacher indicators of PPST, which
articulate required professional practice at Career Stage 1.15 Further, the equivalent findings and
implications of the TDNS and PTDNS have added additional pressure for Teacher Education

14
ACTRC, 2016. Formative Assessment Research, 2014-2016 policy brief.
15
The decision not to proceed with the grant program was made by DFAT as a result of budget reductions.
16
Philippine National Research Centre for Teacher Quality, 2016. Pre-Service Teacher Development Needs
Study Project Overview.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 12

Institutions (TEIs) to address fundamentally the focus and depth of the courses in subject content
that they offer.
Nevertheless, this delay to CHED’s authorisation of the pre-service reform directly affects the
attainment of the intended BEST outcome on teacher development: Annual improvement in passing
rates and Teacher Licensure Test (LET) scores, expected as a result of the reform. There is no
possibility of pre-service students even enrolling in a reformed pre-service degree in the remaining
time of BEST, let alone graduating.
During the period of the reforms CHED has had major pre-occupations of its own to manage as a
consequence of the introduction of senior secondary levels, including the re-development of large
sections of its own degree offerings to replace content moved down into Grades 11 and 12, training of
teachers for SHS positions (80,000 positions to be filled), and the displacement of some 25,000
academic staff during the two-year moratorium on TEI enrolment.
In retrospect, it could be said that the BEST design did not take adequate account of the seismic
impact on both DepEd and CHED of constructing a senior secondary sector while overhauling the
whole school curriculum. 17

2.1.3. Improving teachers’ access to teaching and learning materials

Access to quality teaching materials appears to be closely linked to the level of access to the Learning
Resources (LR) Portal. 18 Teachers in urban centres with good internet access had very positive
responses on access to up-to-date materials, being inspired to share knowledge themselves by
uploading innovative contributions, and earning certificates of achievement. There was some criticism
from contributors that the 5mb upload limit prevented more interactive materials from being developed
and used more widely.
For teachers and students in areas where connectivity or access to computer assistance was poor,
the LR Portal, EBEIS and LIS had made little difference to their work. The increasing dependence on
online services for teaching and administration, when coupled with poor connectivity, is potentially
creating a locational divide between the quality of teaching and learning. Solutions are being
developed for schools disadvantaged by lack of internet or computer access. BEST is supporting
DepEd to develop offline versions of the LR Portal for remote schools with no online access. The
offline system is pre-installed on computers prior to distribution to schools.
The IPR found that gender is effectively mainstreamed in the development of the K–12 curriculum and
in the production of learning and instructional materials through the LR Portal, including lesson
exemplars with gender integration. However, orientation on gender equality and responsiveness have
yet to be well established among classroom teaching for the materials to be genuinely useful. BEST
has supported training to regional offices but this is yet to be implemented at the divisional or school
level, and quality systems have not been implemented to monitor the effectiveness of the training.

2.1.4. Systemic support for teachers’ development and performance

BEST’s priority in approaching teaching and learning improvement seems to have been focused on
strengthening the policies, systems and organisations that deliver and support schools, teachers and
learners. 19 This prioritisation was influenced by a variety of factors, including the take-up throughout
DepEd at the start of BEST of the Continuous Improvement and MEA models of planning action and
adjustment, developed through the Human Resources and Organisational Development Facility
(HRODF). National training of both superintendents and school heads has occurred through programs
BEST has designed: the Superintendents’ Leadership Program (179 trained) and the School Heads
Development Program (~23,000 trained). NEAP has been BEST’s main counterpart in in-service
Teaching and Learning, including NEAP’s partners in local delivery: regional superintendents,

17
Interview with Faculty from Leyte TEI, Region 8, 8 September.
18
See https://lrmds.deped.gov.ph/
19
Referred to as the foundational outcomes in the BEST design document

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 13

personnel from the Regional Curriculum and Learning Division (RCLD), school division supervisors,
school heads and master teachers.
As a result of this organisational development, BEST IPR found that regional and divisional offices, as
well as school heads, seem to have vigorous MEA practices and information-based planning cultures.
These provide a strong basis for targeted, systemic support and monitoring of teacher development
for improving students’ mastery of K–12 curriculum. In addition, NEAP’s use of local facilitators and
the institution of Master Teachers in schools has provided a local source of skills to addvalue to
teachers’ LAC meetings.
The relationship between planning and performance systems is coherent. Schools are intended to
adjust their school improvement plans based on data aggregated from individual teacher performance
appraisals and their student performance profiles, and feed them to the divisional office. These then
develop priorities for support based on an aggregated assessment. Likewise the region responds
based on the divisional aggregation. In terms of organisational capacity to support teachers’
development and performance, the BEST program is quite well placed to produce improved student
mastery of the curriculum by the end of 2019.
There are two weaknesses, however, in the systemic support so far:
1. Improved student mastery of the curriculum is the outcome of a whole school orientation to
improving learning outcomes. In recognition of this, the BEST design document nominates the
school as the unit of measurement for the end of program outcome on improved student scores. A
whole school orientation to learning improvement requires a school-based strategy, rather than a
cascade of parts down from the national level. The BEST design further specifies tracking school
performance to see what it takes to move a school from poor to better performance and from good
to excellent.
2. In the educational leadership capacity building programs, the development of the competence of
superintendents, supervisors and school heads for supporting learning has been under-developed
relative to generic capacities for leadership. There was evidence of this is in the discussions with
school staff and the exploration of school plans. ‘Least learnt competency’ discussions with
teachers in performance assessments did not end up informing LAC plans or school plans. A
sampling of school plans for the latter’s components for learning improvement showed improbable
goals for reducing learning related problems within yearly timeframes and no specificity around
proposed actions for achieving the goal.
The fact that the National Assessment scores for 2015-2016 have not yet been made available to
schools plays a crucial part in taking attention off the learning. The situation is the same with the Early
Grades Reading Assessment (EGRA) and Early Grades Mathematics Assessment (EGMA) tests.
None of the participant supervisors or heads in the FGDs has had students’ results reported back to
their school, preventing the development of any follow-up interventions.
Finally, it is possible that under-emphasis on school based management (SBM), has also played a part
in the loss of a whole school focus on improving learning. The school improvement plan (SIP) is
dominated by responsibilities of the school for collecting data on, and conforming to, nationally set
agendas for school effectiveness. The BEST team was assured that the disappearance of the school
grant, a hallmark of SBM, has no significance for schools’ discretional choices. Whether this is the case
or not would repay investigation in any strategy to refocus BEST in its last two years on bringing all the
potential of the reforms to come together in the school, the only place where they realise their purpose.

2.1.5. Summary assessment of progress

Are teachers better qualified and capable of delivering the curriculum to the extent that learners’
improved mastery of the curriculum is possible by the end of 2019? Certainly in respect of qualification
they are not, as no student teachers will graduate or possibly even be enrolled in a reformed pre-
service degree, or sit a reformed Licensure examination, by the end of 2019.
This is not to say that there will not be a valuable legacy of pre-service related work by the end of the
program. A curriculum framework grounded in teacher need, based on policy directions and evidence
from the PPST and PTDNS has been developed. A network of leading TEIs has been generated and

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 14

engaged ready to exemplify the reforms through the Curriculum Quality Audit (CQA). The political will
on the part of CHED to use this work is the unknown.
In respect of the extent of the capacity of the existing workforce in the BEST targeted regions, the
judgement is also that on present progress teachers do not yet have sufficiently enhanced capability to
effect improvements in student mastery, as a result of the BEST program. This is a judgement made
on the basis of the level of resourcing rather than on the evidence of effect, as there is none available.
That is a problem in its own right for tracking the difference that the BEST investment in teacher
development has made to the end of program outcome.
Reasons for the state of progress have been suggested, and they are of a kind that mean the program
could still be effective if strategic choices were immediately made to sharpen the targeting of teacher
and school improvement. To some extent, the distinctiveness of the school as a learning organisation
has been obscured by the corporate approach to organisational development and continuous
improvement. This is illustrated by some school plans viewed by the IPR team where outcomes are
called ‘Market Results’ and outputs ‘Client Satisfaction’.20
There is a need for a localised, integrated whole school effort to improve the school’s performance in
learning. That could still be selectively achieved. One very positive result of the bias towards
organisational effectiveness is the culture of data-based planning and monitoring at all sub-national
levels that many other countries would envy, and which are indispensable for the effective and
sustained support of schools and their learners.

2.2. Student mastery of the K to 12 curriculum

The intended end of program outcome for BEST is “More children are able to demonstrate improved
mastery of curriculum competencies in English, Mathematics and Science; and difference in learning
outcomes for boys and girls is reduced in target areas”. The indicator is National Achievement Test
(NAT) scores in target regions. It has an indicative target based on the percentage of target schools
stratified in groups from low to high performing that improve their (NAT) score performance by one
standard deviation by 2019.21
Besides the skilling, resourcing and support of teachers, described above, there are two additional
pre-requisites to achieving the outcome of improved student mastery. The first is that the scores of
students are sufficiently close to the mastery levels defined in the NAT typology of student
performance to be able to reach them in two years’ time. The second is that the curriculum is
sufficiently aligned with students’ developmental capabilities throughout the grades of schooling to be
mastered, if other variables such as good teaching and adequate class resources are in place.
The NAT scores for 2015/16 have not been released at the national and regional levels preventing any
comparison of student performance within and outside of BEST regions, including comparing boys
and girls, children living with disabilities, indigenous students and those considered marginalised.
The BEST program has data extracted from national databases for the NAT scores for 2014/15 for
each region. The passing rate for students is 75%. For the baseline year 2014/15, all BEST regions
were below a mean performance score of 75% at JHS level (Grade 10 exam), and all except Region 8
at elementary level (Grade 6 exam).
Table 1 shows where the learning challenge lies.

20
It is understood that the Continuous Improvement program implemented by Human Capital and captured in the
School Improvement Plans was based on the Kaizen model which advocates incremental positive change as the
responsibility of everyone involved. It originates from the manufacturing industry so some of the language is
foreign to the educational sector. School improvement plans are seen as a component of School Based
Management (SBM).
21
The quality of NAT data needs to be reqarded with some caution. The degree to which recent NAT versions
reflect the changed vision of K-12 is unclear, notwithstanding the recent work undertaken by BEA with ACTRC is
more explicitly targeting higher order competencies.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 15

Table 1 Mean Performance Score in target subject areas nationwide 2014/15.

MPS English Mathematics Science Filipino

Elementary NAT (Grade 6) 71 70 67 70
JHS (Grade 10) 46 47 47 49

From this it can be seen that elementary students are not far from passing, whereas for JHS students
the distance to go is considerable and not likely to be attainable in BEST target regions even with any
alterations to program strategy.
Sex-disaggregated data likewise are not provided for the BEST regions. Nationwide, there is a
significant difference between sexes on the subject results at both elementary and JSH level, but the
effect size is small (less than 0.2). 22
DepEd also ranges schools’ performance into four categories based on their level of achievement in
the NAT scores. This measure is pertinent to the BEST target for EOPO 1 of schools improving their
performance similarly across a range of four categories: poor to fair (Group 1), fair to good (Group 2),
good to great (Group 3), great to excellent (Group 4).
Table 2 presents the baseline results, grouped by NAT score range for the elementary schools in
BEST supported regions on the DepEd categories of performance, SY 2014-2015.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Total schools

Region 0-24 25-49 50-74 75-100
5 11% 51% 38% 3072
6 3% 33% 64% 2973
7 3% 31% 66% 2642
8 8% 23% 69% 3167
10 5% 34% 61% 1908
NCR 25% 58% 17% 530

Table 3 shows the baseline results for JHS schools in BEST supported regions using the DepEd
categories of performance. Source: BEST Baseline Study (draft), 2016.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Total schools

Region 0-24 25-49 50-74 75-100
5 65% 35% 1% 673
6 33% 65% 2% 667
7 36% 61% 3% 791
8 37% 61% 2% 491
10 38% 61% 1% 345
NCR 61% 35% 3% 249

For elementary schools it can be seen that four of these regions have a majority of schools with a
mean passing score on the NAT, and in the desirable Group 4 range. These school results should be

22
The Baseline Study clarification of effect sizes. “Effect sizes are interpreted as follows: "small, d = .2," "medium,
d = .5," and "large, d = .8". (Reference: Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioural sciences
(2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.)”. p.30.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 16

used to develop a strategy for improving the overall NAT scores in the BEST-supported regions, by
targeting schools with the largest numbers of non-passing students.
There may also be a link with class size. NCR, with the smallest number of schools and by far the lowest
passing level, has by far the highest pupil class ratio: 1:65, as against a BEST region average of 1:37.
For JHS the same analysis would apply, except that the achievable improvement is much lower than
the passing rate regionally or by school level.

2.2.1. Curriculum alignment with student development

The new curriculum for JHS, starting from Grade 7, was implemented in 2012 and completed to Grade 12
in 2017. This was a very fast roll out dictated by the need to move the first cohort without disruption through
the new curriculum to the end of senior high school. A role that ACTRC has undertaken has been to gather
evidence on the performance of the curriculum. One important study was the Progress of Students through
the Science curriculum, 2015-16, (Grades 7-10; Chemistry as the focus area). This study tested the levels
of conceptual knowledge and skills of students for being ‘ready’ for the grade level. The findings of the
study show that conceptual knowledge and skills decreased with every successive year, from 39%
students ‘ready’ in terms of competence in Grade 7, to 11% ready in Grade 10. This decline over
successive grades is attributable to the fact that competence depends on understanding the curriculum in
previous years, due to ‘the cumulative nature of science concepts and skills’. 23
A view of the ACTRC Director is that levels of fit of the curriculum with students’ developmental capacity
contributes to learning performance, as well as issues of teacher capability and access to materials.24
No quantitative results are available on the results of the EGRA conducted in mid-2016. These would
be desirable to assess the impact of the MTB/MLE introduced in 2012.
Reportedly DepEd intends a curriculum revision in 2018, now that the roll out is completed, and some
stakeholders are hoping that it will be based on analysis of classroom performance.
In conclusion, students’ scores at the elementary level show potential for attaining an improvement in
the passing rate on the NAT achievement test, particularly if strategies are developed that target
specific cohorts and areas to maximise impact.
For JHS such a goal is hardly attainable, and in this sub-sector the problem is compounded by the
likely need for revision of the new JHS curriculum in particular, which is not achievable within the
remaining BEST program.
The teaching variable as a pre-requisite for student improvement is well catered for in the design.
However, improvement in class size is not part of the Theory of Change (ToC) and yet there are
indications that this is an important factor in students’ performance. Large classes seem to be mainly
associated with urban schools. In interviews with senior students on the BEST IPR visits to schools
this was the factor that students found most obstructed their learning, and is identified as an important
issue in the recent World Bank study on education expenditure.25

2.3. Girls and boys participation and completion in target areas

Increases in participation rates have been observed nationally, however there is no significant
difference between BEST and non-BEST regions. Anecdotal evidence from interviews suggests that
BEST has been able to enhance existing processes in terms of identifying those learners that have
been traditionally marginalised and isolated. BEST has supported community mapping, strengthening
programs for indigenous peoples, Muslim learners and those with special needs, and encouraged the
return of drop-outs through Alternative Learning Systems (ALS) support.

23
ACTRC, 2016. Progress of Students through the Science Curriculum: Chemistry.
24
Interview with ACTRC Directors, 30 August.
25
World Bank 2016. Assessing Basic Education Service Delivery in the Philippines. The Philippines Public
Education Expenditure Tracking and Quantitative Service Delivery study.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 17

The Department Order 72 series of 2009 on
inclusive education encourages local practices to Box 2. The impact of ‘ghost’ students.
increase the school participation rate. These ‘Ghost’ students are falsified records which increase
practices mainly include the thorough mapping of the number of students in schools, justifying
children of school age in the communities in additional teachers, resources and promotions, often
close partnership with the local government in remote areas. The removal of ‘ghost’ students from
authorities, and the tracking of learners through enrolment records using information systems to
the LIS. Through an online Learner Registration enforce unique student identifiers, has had a
Number (LRN) the LIS enables every student to significant impact. It has been estimated that ‘ghost’
be tracked and identified, including those who students previously represented an estimated 5-10%
have transferred to other schools and those who of enrolments and subsequent drop outs. Correcting
are at risk of dropping out. In this way individual this situation not only improves resource allocation to
strategies can be developed to assign those schools in need but also corrects erroneous
drop-out rates. ‘Ghost’ students invariably drop-out
appropriate alternative modes of delivering during the school year providing a distorted record of
education services. This has raised awareness participation and completion rates. By correcting the
amongst teachers of the diversity of learning data the dropout rate should immediately improve.
needs and home or family conditions among its The information systems used to improve the data
students. The LIS and student identifier has also (the Electronic Basic Education Information System
cleansed the list of ‘ghost’ students and removed and Learner Information System) have received
duplicate data (see Box 2). All of these systems significant support from the Australian Government
have been strengthened by BEST support. through BEST.

Many student capture processes had been introduced before BEST but were further strengthened by
the program through the introduction of the CI program at the local level and its encapsulation in the
SIP. This enhanced schools’ drive in various divisions to improve participation and completion rates.
Absenteeism and preventing drop-out rates were identified as major localised CI projects often in
conjunction with other stakeholders and donors. School heads work with local officials, Barangay
Captains, Parent Teacher Associations, local business and donors to identify children absent from
school, implement school feeding programs, build infrastructure, and to coordinate financial and
equipment contributions from the local and international community (e.g. tablets for ALS centres).
BEST has enhanced programs and services for children with disabilities to encourage participation.
However, this has been limited; focused on a few clusters of schools in BEST regions. It involved
orientation and training on inclusive education (capacity building) rather than a school-based
integrated approach.
These measures to get all children of school age into school have resulted in enrolments and
participation rates among girls and boys at the elementary level progressively increasing over the last
three years. 26 The conditional cash transfer program of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) has likewise contributed significantly to improving completion rates at the
elementary level. However, no significant difference in this increase can be found in the aggregated
results of BEST targeted regions compared to those without BEST interventions27 at this point in the
program. Targeted case studies might demonstrate otherwise based on feedback from local school
heads during the IPR.
The completion rate has remained generally lower than targeted, with more boys dropping out of
school in the elementary grades and even higher rates in the secondary level. As expressed in the
field, the ALS may address this to some extent with its structure and design more responsive to the
needs and profile of male learners who have less interest in rigorous schooling and a demand for
immediate productive employment, as traditionally ascribed to males in the family. Contextualisation of
learning materials (e.g. capturing themes such as local fishing traditions) was also seen as a
mechanism for making school more relevant to local learners.
With intensified campaigns, enrolment and demand for education facilities and services increases.
Supply of suitable education facilities and services remains a challenge, including qualified teachers,
especially those needing more specialised forms of education.

26
Based on discussions with school principals.
27
Analysis undertaken by the BEST Facilitating Contractor.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 18

2.4. Gender responsive and inclusive basic education

2.4.1. Gender responsive education

Gender responsive education refers to a system of education that actively takes measures to reduce
the detrimental effects of inequitable gender norms, roles and relations. It means:
1. Eliminating all forms of stereotypes such as sex-role dichotomy and sexist attitudes which are
barriers to full development of a learner’s potential.
2. Reducing vulnerabilities to all forms of abuse, exploitation and marginalisation that can be a cause
for a learner to not stay, perform and complete basic education or in the learning environment,
particularly those with disabilities, victims of war and violence, indigenous peoples and other
individuals and groups traditionally excluded from the system.
3. Broadening the range of career options especially those being promoted to girls.

The first element must be explicit in all the teaching and learning plans and materials (curriculum,
instructional and other supplemental materials, career counselling) while the second may be included
in the creation of mechanisms and structures of alternative forms of delivery and child protection within
the educational system. The third element can be gleaned from career guidance and counselling
specifically for girls and undertaken just before their entrance to senior high school.
The Philippine Plan for Gender Responsive Development (1995-2025) spells out its declaration of
commitment and intent to mainstream and integrate gender in all dimensions and stages of the
development process. It instructs and guides all government agencies on integrating and
mainstreaming gender in all its programs, services and institutional structures, processes and
mechanisms, including a Gender Focal Person for each national government agency and corporation.
BEST has not comprehensively considered how to mainstream or target attention to gender equality
and women’s empowerment in implementing its sub-components. The main gender equality
challenges relate to schooling and retention of boys in school; encouragement and retention of male
teachers as role models for boys; and women’sw leadership at the school and DepEd levels.
DepEd’s own progress on gender and development since 2013 may have exceeded any
improvements under BEST. 28 BEST reporting and IPR field visits and focus groups found selective
rather than comprehensive attention to gender equality, and it is unclear whether the recently-
produced ‘BEST Gender Strategy’ has any buy-in from DepEd. The majority of efforts and resources
on gender and development have to date been focused centrally, with little evidence of initiatives at
the division level where the schools are directly supervised and guided. 29 According to program
expenditure approximately $128,000 has been allocated to specific gender-related inputs (0.6% of the
activity budget), not including any inputs embedded within activities. BEST has found it difficult to
recruit and retain gender expertise (DFAT, 2015-17).
Progress in the area of gender in the BEST Program has largely been in the development of various
policies and departmental issuances, foremost of which is the Gender Responsive Basic Education
Policy (approved June 2017) and the development of a framework for learning and development
aimed at institutionalising Gender and Development (GAD) in the basic education sector. GAD has
likewise been integrated in the institutional processes such as ensuring sex-disaggregated data within
the M&E framework of plans developed at different levels of the organisation. Much effort and
resources have been used in strengthening the internal GAD governance system through the Gender
Focal Persons (from the central office down to the school level) through a series of capacity building
activities. It is too early in the process to determine what outcomes will be achieved by this policy,
however this is a sound approach for developing and sustaining behavioural change in such a large

28
For example, DepEd has already achieved: sex-disaggregated data on DepEd learners and employees, an
annual GAD plan and budget (supported by BEST but not yet endorsed by the Presidential Commission of
Women), and integration of gender in the learning curriculum and textbooks.
29
For example, school visits revealed that GAD budgets are frequently used to meet school costs rather than
support initiatives to improve gender equality in teaching and learning.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 19

system. Critical next steps that could be supported by BEST include supporting the implementation of
the M&E system based on the gender mainstreaming framework and providing orientation and training
supervisors and teachers.
DepEd’s draft gender responsive basic education policy reiterates the Philippines’ national GAD policy
and utilisation of the 5% GAD budget in education.30 It may provide a mutual basis for BEST to re-
engage with DepEd’s Gender Focal Point and other specialists to implement the agenda in a more
comprehensive way, with greater effort on teaching and learning in schools, and greater connection to
the Philippines’ considerable capacity in gender and development.
At the sub-national level, it is apparent that the mechanisms are very much in place, with each level
producing their GAD plans and corresponding GAD budget in compliance with national policy on the
Philippine Gender Responsive Development Plan and executive orders on GAD budget. It is a
common observation though that GAD budgets are used for school and division-level activities, such
as team building, that cannot be funded from the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE
operational funds). Critical in this process therefore is ensuring that local level GAD plans are aligned
with the strategic GAD plans of at least the division schools and integrated in the core institutional
processes such that budgets allocated for GAD are expended programmatically.
Likewise, the continuing consciousness raising and constituency building and advocacy for GAD
mainstreaming does not only strengthen the governance system but develops GAD champions in all
levels of governance in the department. Monitoring progress and provision of technical assistance
particularly at the sub-national levels then becomes crucial to achieving the goal of promoting a
gender responsive and inclusive education.
It is observed, however, that GAD-related interventions have been largely undertaken and
accomplished so far at the national level (policies and issuances). There are less significant results at
the sub-national levels, specifically at the division and school levels where ultimate outcomes will be
measured and assessed if the basic education system is to be assessed as gender responsive or not.
Reducing gender-based biases in teaching and learning, expanding career options particularly for
girls, and even developing more leadership at higher organisational levels for females in the
department, are critical indicators by which the program will be assessed.

2.4.2. Inclusive basic education

The BEST program defines inclusive education as mainly the inclusion of children living with disabilities
into regular schools. As the concept of inclusive education has gained currency globally, students who
previously have been referred to specialised forms of education are now believed to belong in
mainstream classrooms and their potential not judged anymore as ‘less able’ but differently abled.
As observed, BEST has focused on inclusive education as largely assisting children with disabilities to
be mainstreamed in the regular formal schools. The IPR team observed that this has found a lot of
promise in an elementary school in Baybay, Leyte, and in a cluster of schools in the Biliran Division
Schools as pilot sites. With a more intensive monitoring and coaching for these sites, after initial
capacity building interventions given to their special education (SPED) teachers, remarkable changes
on mindsets and behaviours of both the children living with disabilities and their families, their
classmates and communities, have been strongly demonstrated. Children with different learning needs
and abilities gain more confidence and self-esteem; they take more initiative in school activities while
their parents become less fearful and anxious about their children, giving them greater room to do
independent tasks. Their classmates who used to imitate their gestures and make fun of them, now
call them “Ate” or “Kuya” as a form of respect and endearment, and would even call the attention of
other children who bully these children.
Progress in expanding the program, however, has been observed to be slow and targets of
establishing so-called Demonstration Inclusive Schools in two other regions were not met. Moreover,
targeted schools are unaware of a broader plan on how to develop more strategically. Policies

30
DO, No.32, series of 2017.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 20

providing for more support in terms of resources and personnel are still wanting. Volunteer inclusion
assistants, mostly licensed teachers, extend support to regular SPED teachers and act like regular
teachers in some occasions but are only paid P100 per day.
DepEd has largely understood inclusive basic education as the ‘no child left behind’ policy drawn from
the EFA goals in “achieving universal primary education especially for girls, ethnic minorities and
marginalised children”. For DepEd, promoting inclusive education has evolved to include all programs
and services that intend to capture those that have been traditionally marginalised by the formal
school system such as:
• children living with disabilities to move from SPED Centres to regular classes
• out of school children/youth/adults through the ALS
• geographically isolated areas or areas with not enough pupils to start monograde classes through
the multi-grade system
• Muslim children, whose parents still generally feel isolated from the dominant Christian culture,
through the ALIVE Program in Madrasahs
• indigenous peoples through the IP education programs, such as feeding programs.

Interventions in these other areas of inclusive education have largely been very limited and are
generally perceived to be unsupported by BEST. While teaching and learning materials and resources
are shared in the LR Portals, and are actually used, their respective curricula have yet to be fully
aligned with K to 12 curriculum. With poor connectivity and minimal resources made available,
classroom teachers are left on their own at their own personal expense (buying printed copies from
colleagues who have greater means to access, reproducing learning materials for students, etc.). With
the incumbent DepEd Secretary’s priority on ALS, this may be an opportune time to refocus with
increased counterpart funds from DepEd.
While the BEST design aligns well with Secretary Briones’ 10-point Agenda for Education, there are
also different understandings among stakeholders on inclusion. 31 Mainstreaming disability inclusion is
starting to take root, some of which can be attributed to the work of the BEST program in Region 8.
Children with disabilities are not mentioned in Secretary Briones 10-point Agenda, even though illness
and disability are reported as the third major reason for boys not attending school (girls give other
reasons, especially marriage). (Briones L. M., 2016)
BEST’s progress to date on disability inclusion has demonstrated Australia’s value-add, and suggests
an increased focus in this area may be warranted. There appear to be some significant localised
results that should be evaluated for scale up.

3. Relevance to Australia and the Philippines

Relevance concerns the extent to which a program meets a need in the community and country it is
intended to benefit, and aligns with the policies and interests of the donor (OECD-DAC, 2010). It
concerns the extent to which changes in the political, economic or social context affect relevance
during implementation. For DFAT, relevance incorporates comparative advantage, and whether
Australia’s value-add is clear. (DFAT, 2017, p. 11) This section assesses the relevance of BEST
considering experience and changes in the context since 2013-14, and suggests ways for the program
to respond.
There is unanimous agreement amongst stakeholders that BEST is still relevant, in particular
because K–12 is still central to GPH’s education agenda. However, DepEd has the resources and
reform agenda to deliver K–12, so relevance is strongly tied to Australia bringing unique perspectives

31
For example, Philippines Business for Social Progress (PBSP), one of the implementing partners for BEST, has
a broad definition of inclusion which encompasses: children with disabilities, Indigenous Peoples (IPs), extremely
poor families, Internally Displaced People (IDPs), and inclusion of the children of undocumented migrants. PBSP
considers inclusion should be a high priority in locations such as Iloilo, Marawi and typhoon-affected regions.
PBSP and DepEd consider DFAT has been more concerned about disability-inclusion than about other pupils at
the periphery of the schooling system who have dropped out or are at risk of early drop-out.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 21

and experience for DepEd and other partners to draw on. 32 As one senior official put it, “The greatest
contribution of BEST would be to look to see how we, DepEd, could improve” (DepEd official).
BEST risks becoming irrelevant if it does not understand and respect what capacity already exists,
and facilitate productive partnerships between the key stakeholders for teacher preparation, teaching,
learning and participation in basic education.33
From 2014, Australian aid operated under a ‘new development paradigm’. It acknowledged the
decreasing significance of aid in a rapidly developing world, and shared accountability for
development results (See Box 3).
Economic diplomacy is integral to the new paradigm 34. It commits Australia to supporting
development in ways that create opportunities for trade, investment, economic growth and private
sector development (DFAT, 2014). Australia’s 2015 education strategy aligns closely with the ‘lifelong
learning’ approach outlined in the Philippine Development Plan. The strategy conceptualises
education as a continuum from childhood development, through elementary and secondary schooling,
to further education and productive employment. It is about aligning education and skills with labour
market needs. The strategy commits Australia to taking a ‘systems-based approach’ i.e. considering
how interventions impact on education delivery as a whole (DFAT, 2015).
To increase relevance there may be potential for BEST to create stronger links between its basic
education inputs, the work of other stakeholders, and the expected outcomes of an educated,
innovative, employable workforce. Pursuing this would require good communication and collaboration
between leaders and senior managers in NEDA, DepEd, CHED and the Technical Education and
Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and with donors and implementing partners.35
The governance component remains relevant to the persistent need to improve budget execution, so
that DepEd can address teaching, learning and infrastructure needs more efficiently and effectively
(World Bank, 2016). DepEd is struggling to spend its annual budget given the significant increases,
and may welcome an increased focus on budget execution, provided the ‘funding basket’ approach
can be renegotiated.
BEST’s focus on teaching and learning remains highly relevant to addressing current needs. It could
be stronger with a sharper focus on improving teacher competence (pre-service and in-service), and
improving classrooms and facilities (NEDA, 2016). A DepEd inventory of classrooms, teachers and
schools in 2016 found the biggest need is in the large urban areas, where “exhaustion of buildable
space is a major challenge, especially in Metro Manila” leading to multiple shifts with large class
sizes. 36 This is a challenge where DepEd would value additional technical assistance.
For DepEd the relevance and significance of the K–12 reform is in developing youth skills to the
international standards needed for the Philippines’ inclusion in the global economy and the ASEAN
economic region in particular. Evidence of this commitment to these standards is DepEd’s recent
engagement with international student assessments such as TIMSS (Grade 4), PISA (Grade 10), regional

32
BEST may be supporting lots of things DepEd could well do on its own; this is very hard to justify as ‘relevant’,
or adding value, when DepEd is so well-resourced.
33
Extending to CHED, TEC, TESDA, but also Philippine Commission on Women, Department of Social Welfare
and Development, Social Services, TAF, WB, ADB etc.
34
Economic diplomacy is ‘the use of Australia’s diplomatic, trade and aid resources to support Australia’s
economic interests by increasing trade, supporting economic growth, encouraging investment and assisting
business’ (DFAT, 2014).
35
Some tensions may need resolving between, for example: the ideal of keeping all school-aged children in
school; the reality of children and youth outside the system who may be difficult to reintegrate regardless of age;
and generational differences in post-school aspirations (from traditional expectations of college education as
ideal, towards increasing acceptance of other post-school options such as TVET, business, and skilled
employment in the formal labour market).
36
The IPR team visited a high school in Iloilo where there were 2 shifts (6am – 1pm and 11am – 6pm) with class
sizes ranging between 50 and 70. There were inadequate teaching materials and no equipment for running
practicals in science. The school was the only high school in a municipality with a population of 56,000 people.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 22

SEA-PLM (Grade 5), and EGRA and EGMA which assess the implementation of MTB-MLE and
Kindergarten.37 The new engagement by the Philippines in PISA is being technically supported by ACTRC.

4. Program modality and implementation

At this stage of the program (three years after commencement) the efficacy and effectiveness of the
modality and implementation should be judged by:

1. Achieving tangible and sustainable results (targeted outputs and immediate outcomes) in key
areas of investment that have a clear ‘line of sight’ to EOPOs.
2. The level of partnership commitment to the program and achieving the EOPOs.
3. All partners having a clear understanding of their role in achieving successful outcomes.
4. The stability of operations provided by the Facilitating Contractor to enable efficient and effective
delivery of services and strategic allocation of resources.
5. A programmatic M&E system that supports concise reporting of progress, transparency and
accountability, learning, and decision making. 38
6. The ability to clearly identify and account for contributions made to the program by the Australian
Government.

The modality has been both a program and a facility. For the most part DepEd has used BEST funding as
a facility which is its preference. 39 Essentially this is a pool of funds that it can use to address unplanned
expenditure items (workshops, training and
equipment) and technical assistance. In this way
BEST’s contribution was not always strategically Box 3: The Australian development paradigm
focused through a programmatic approach, but “To be effective in this new context, aid needs to be
used to supplement DepEd’s implementation of more nimble and catalytic, helping to unleash these
its reforms and the K–12 program. Its value was other drivers for development. We need to recognise
in helping to accelerate crucial reforms at a time that aid alone cannot solve the problems of
of significant change. However, there were also development; developing country institutions and
several strong programmatic themes that built on policies need to lead. Where developing country
institutions are weak and policies inappropriate, the
previous and existing programs such as
impact of aid is compromised. This means that we
Organisational Development, Monitoring and need to build mature development partnerships—
Evaluation, Information Systems development based on principles of mutual accountability—with
and Continuous Improvement. partner governments and organisations” (DFAT, 2014)

4.1. Effectiveness of the modality

BEST was intended to be a mechanism of support to DepEd’s implementation of educational reforms
and at the same time constitutes a highly prescribed program of activities and outputs to achieve
specific measurable outcomes. The modality was intended as a broad program refined through joint
annual planning, with a formalised governance structure to maintain its focus and relevance to both
governments. It had some inherent flexibility but was not intended as a facility model.
The strength of the approach to BEST was in the co-design, co-development and co-implementation
processes between DepEd and DFAT, using the supporting partners to deliver key priorities. However,
the period between the completion of the design document and appointment of the Facilitating

37
IEA, 2017, Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study— TIMSS; OECD, 2017, Program for
International Student Assessment— PISA; UNICEF and ACER 2017, Assessment for Quality Education:
Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics-SEA-PLM; DepEd 2015, Early Grades Reading Assessment— EGRA;
Early Grades Mathematics Assessment— EGMA.
38
Programmatic M&E in this sense means an M&E system that is designed to account for the use of program (or
BEST) resources in achieving results. The M&E system developed for DepEd reports on changes to indicators
irrespective of where the inputs come from whereas donors are concerned about how their money is being used
and what difference they are making.
39
Key informants revealed that the new administration would prefer donors to provide resources that the
Department could use as required to accelerate its programs and direct funds where most needed. While
technical advice is welcome, DepEd does not want to be donor or specialist driven as has happened in the past.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 23

Contractor, with the prior contracting of other partners and the subsequent political changes, resulted
in a more flexible and fluid approach to planning and implementation.
The modality can be characterised by three implementation phases which have impacted progress in
different ways:

1. The first phase, between August 2014 and January 2015, was a mobilisation and start-up phase
for the Facilitating Contractor. This was much slower than anticipated in the scope of services40
resulting in the organic development of the program and relationships with partners. A scoping
study was conducted to identify program needs and to schedule priorities. This was used to frame
the first annual plan and recognised the time lag between the completion of the design (in 2012)
and implementation in 2014.

The Facilitating Contractor was originally expected to be embedded within DepEd to work closely
together and build internal project management capacity. However, this arrangement did not
proceed due to workplace safety issues with the accommodation available within DepEd.41 This
placed a strain on working relationships. 42

The Team Leader and Advisers were not completely mobilised until January 2015. Due to the
gradual start-up it does not appear that a partnership meeting with all existing partners (PBEd,
PBSP, RCTQ and ACTRC) and specialists was convened to discuss reporting arrangements,
work programs and to establish working arrangements. These partners had pre-existing direct
contractual relationships with DFAT so a formal acknowledgement of the new working
relationships under BEST was critical. Formal arrangements for monitoring, evaluation and
reporting, with all partners, have still not been adequately implemented.

2. The second phase was dominated by a build-up of resources within the Facilitating Contractor and in
DepEd to address emerging issues and program demands. Significant portions of the program were
driven by DepEd’s continuation of pre-existing programs such as organisational development,
continuous improvement, information systems development and monitoring and evaluation. Others
appear to have been more ad hoc and ‘specialist driven’ such as the investment in the LACs and
Inclusive Education. At one stage the Facilitating Contractor had over 100 staff.

Key informants interviewed during the IPR partly attributed this rapid growth to the need to meet
expenditure targets as well as urgent program requirements in DepEd such as implementing the
K–12 program.

During this period the Facilitating Contractor to some extent replicated the project management
roles that should have been assigned to DepEd under its Project Management Services (PMS)
and Project Support and Coordination Office (PSCO). Significant resources were used to organise
workshops, training events and make travel arrangements for DepEd staff during this period.
Towards the end of this phase the culture and relationships within and between implementing
partners was under stress for a myriad of reasons, including professional differences among
advisers, research institutions and DepEd senior staff.43

40
The scope of services called for a rapid mobilisation and recruitment of the team leader, within one to two
months of commencement. In reality this took about six months.
41
The decision to not co-locate was based on a full cost assessment of options (including renovating buildings to
meet standards) undertaken by the Facilitating Contractor and endorsed by DFAT.
42
Several informants within DepEd contrasted the perceived expensive accommodation options adopted by the
contractor with the benefits of co-locating within DepEd to build a more unified and focused team. Many of the
specialists, however, did effectively work within DepEd for the duration of their contract.
43
Unresolved professional differences were commonly reported as a barrier to implementation by many partners
(e.g. protecting legacy systems) and is perhaps symptomatic of the lack of formal decision making structures,
such as technical working groups, to reach consensus on these issues. In one instance it was reported that
implementation was delayed by 1-2 years until issues could be resolved.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 24

3. The third phase followed the National Election in May 2016. This coincided with changes in DFAT
staff, a new executive administration in DepEd, and a review of the organisation created by the
Facilitating Contractor. Following the election, programs such as BEST were not a focus of the
new administration, however, a decision was also made not to disrupt existing programs.

Between October and December, 2016 the Facilitating Contractor conducted a review and did not
renew the contracts of the M&E Specialist, OD Specialist and Team Leader, and significantly cut
staffing. Within the next six months all senior positions within the Facilitating Contractor had
changed, and a new team appointed with two component leads instead of six specialists. The
decision not to renew the contracts of key specialists was poorly communicated resulting in
significant tensions between partners in 2016. Some programs were left unfinished. DepEd assigned
resources at the sub-national level to ensure many of these could be completed for regions where
they had commenced.
This phase represented a ‘reset’ of the program and should now lead to greater stability and focus
for the remaining life of the program. Further changes are not advised, instead there should be a
focus on formalising many of the arrangements originally identified in the design document.
All of the three major implementing partners – DFAT, Cardno and DepEd – underwent major changes
during the initial period of implementation with significant staff changes and loss of knowledge about the
program. In contrast the staffing in the research centres was relatively stable. The instability in personnel
was exacerbated by a dominant informal decision-making process within the program between key
individuals in Cardo, DFAT and DepEd and to some extent the research centres. The counter balance
would normally be the formal structures (as outlined in the design) and programmatic M&E that help
retain knowledge of program decisions and progress despite staffing and organisational changes. While
the informal structures help expedite activities and can get things done quickly, formal structures are
needed for accountability, transparency and risk management.
There was universal acknowledgement that the manner and frequency of personnel changes has
affected relationships and made cooperation difficult. The ‘reset’ of BEST, with a new team leader and
more coherent organisational structure, provides a good starting point to better match the modality to
the scale and complexity of challenges in basic education in the Philippines.
The Program Support and Coordination Office (PSCO) was not properly established within DepEd;
there was no systematic programmatic monitoring and evaluation until recently, and the technical
working groups (TWGs) were not established or operating as designed resulting in a significant gap in
technical oversight and decision making. The Project Steering Committee (PSC) and Project
Management Committee (PMC) did not meet regularly as prescribed in the design despite the
instability of the program. In other words the checks and balances required to ensure the strategic use
of DFAT funds was not fully in place and was largely dependent on DepEd’s immediate priorities as
identified by its executives or the interests of specialist advisers.
The cohesion and performance of the program with other partners such as the RCTQ, ACTRC, PBEd
and PBSP was affected by direct contracting arrangements with DFAT, and sometimes strained
relationships during various phases of the program with the Facilitating Contractor due to compliance
and accountability requirements. These contracting arrangements should have been updated to reflect
the structures and reporting required under the BEST umbrella. Despite these distractions each of
these Partners has made significant contributions to education in the Philippines.

4.2. Monitoring and Evaluation

The Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system established for BEST has not been adequately
implemented to report on the contributions DFAT has made towards achieving intermediate or end of
program outcomes (EOPO). While the contributions to institutional M&E established for DepEd have
been extensive, the M&E needed for accountability, transparency and learning, from DFAT’s
perspective, has not been as useful. BEST did attempt to develop a unified M&E system that
incorporated DepEd M&E requirements with those of the BEST partners but this was not fully
implemented. It did not recognise the challenges of dealing with a flexible delivery modality that had
built upon a range of previous initiatives, or the range of partner requirements for M&E.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 25

Pre-existing partners, prior to the full implementation of BEST, have been required to complete
comprehensive annual reporting to DFAT through the terms of their grants. Under the Facilitating
Contractor these existing arrangements should have been modified to allow for integrated reporting
under the umbrella program without an added burden.
DepEd’s M&E system was established prior to BEST, building on SEDIP, BESRA, STRIVE and
PRIME. BEST continued to work on this initiative and expanded it to include M&E for the new K–12
program and Senior High School, and undertook extensive training on Monitoring, Evaluation and
Adjustment (MEA). 44 Local M&E officers were placed in each region to provide ongoing training and
support. During field visits by the IPR Team it was evident that the M&E training and implementation
had introduced an M&E culture from the school level (through School Improvement Plans) to the
Division and Regional levels.
BEST produced a range of documents to support implementing a comprehensive M&E system:
• M&E Framework (or Performance Assessment Framework in the design document) – a table
showing the results hierarchy, indicators and means of verification aligned with a program logic
model or theory of change diagram.
• Baseline studies of selected key performance indicators.
• K–12 M&E Framework – A learner-centred approach M&E framework focusing on academic
performance of learners and other indicators of learners’ performance (e.g. wellbeing).
• Basic Education Sub-sector M&E Framework (BESMEF). A work in progress with the K–12 M&E
framework elements used as the main input (indicators) in designing the BESMEF. The BESMEF
also adopted the decentralised M&E system approach.
• Senior High School (SHS) M&E design – an M&E system for monitoring and evaluating the
implementation of SHS. It was used by Region 10 (schools, divisions, and region) in tracking the
efficiency of implementing SHS in their area.
• Unified M&E – a document describing the Unified M&E system incorporating DepEd’s needs with those
of BEST. This was intended to be used to operationalise the Theory of Change and M&E Framework.
• M&E Frameworks for each sub-component activity – tables listing the indicators for each of the
intervention areas for use by each Specialist to monitor results. While the documents describe rating
systems there were no accompanying rubrics to describe how the results could be interpreted.
• A decentralised approach to M&E and organisational assessments – a diagnostic tool for
determining the M&E ‘maturity’ of organisations from the school level to the regional level.

The BEST M&E Adviser had also developed a guide to implementing and operationalising the M&E
Systems for DepEd. However, there is no evidence that these systems were fully or uniformly implemented
apart from those data captured as part of the information systems supported by BEST. According to the
M&E Adviser the M&E Frameworks were supposed to be implemented through the Project Management
Services (PMS) and PSCO in DepEd. These structures were never adequately supported.
Some of the more basic information (e.g. enrolment, completion, dropout rates, building and program
information) is now being captured systematically through the information systems being supported by
BEST such as the Electronic Basic Education Information System (EBEIS) and Learner Information
System (LIS – student identifier, census and basic performance (pass/fail) records). These can be
reported nationally with over 90% of schools now accurately geocoded so they can also be mapped.
These data have proven valuable for preparing budgets and ensuring resources are being directed
where they are most needed. However, other areas such as student performance, in terms of
standardised tests (NAT scores) have not been available since 2014-15 and existing systems do not
consistently capture student performance data (other than pass or fail).
There was evidence that some schools are beginning to capture more extensive information such as
student report cards in their information systems to evaluate school performance, and some
informants mentioned undertaking school level performance studies, but there was no evidence this
was being consistently practiced or aggregated up to the divisional or regional levels as described in

44
This was conducted in the 6 BEST regions and also Region 4a. It was funded by BEST and Regional Offices.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 26

the M&E Framework. 45 Specific case study analysis at these schools would reveal what has worked
and why, rather than relying on aggregated statistics. Even if interventions are highly successful,
changes in aggregated statistics at the regional level are unlikely to detect any significant level of
change due to the fragmentation of interventions and lack of uniform application.
The Theory of Change (ToC) for BEST resembles a program logic model that captures the essential
building blocks for DepEd’s transformational education program under each outcome statement. This
is useful as a conceptual framework for aligning activities and outputs (investment areas) with
outcomes but does not adequately describe how change happens. It would be more useful to unpack
the ToC diagram into a series of charts showing how the activities or interventions work together to
achieve the intended outcomes. These diagrams would resemble a set of ‘road maps’ showing how
activities and outputs, through partners, contribute to achieving outcomes.
In the absence of a fully functioning M&E system and PSCO for monitoring and verification, the BEST
team compiled six monthly progress reports based on feedback from the Technical Specialists. 46
Without systematic approaches to evaluating contributions towards outcomes (e.g. through specific
evaluative studies), or an adequate understanding of the baseline situation, most reporting was
focused on documenting activities and outputs (e.g. number of documents produced, number of
people trained etc.).

5. Coordinating and collaborating amongst partners and donors

The level of partnership commitment to BEST has fluctuated during the various stages of its
development affecting coordination and collaboration:
• Following the appointment of the Facilitating Contractor there were issues between pre-existing
partners 47 who had direct contracts with DFAT and the new coordination arrangements. The new
arrangements were considered to be introducing another layer of management (without a
contractual obligation to comply) and an overhead cost for existing partners. This perception
currently persists.
• The realignment of DFAT’s budget following the DFAT-AusAID merger, and Australia’s aid budget
cuts in 2014-15, required a refocus by partners in some areas and delays in commitment to key
areas of the program. This created uncertainty around Australia’s commitment to the longer term
goals of the program.
• The Philippine national election in 2016 created a perceived period of uncertainty. Changes in
staff and technical specialists being managed by the Facilitating Contractor in 2016-17 resulted in
some key executives in DepEd disengaging with BEST. These issues appear to have been
resolved and the program is beginning to get back on track.

One indicator of partnership commitment is the adherence to formal governance structures and
regular executive meeting schedules to provide strategic guidance and direction. Between August
2014 and August 2017 there were four PSC meetings – 16 December 2014, 22 July 2015, 11
November 2016 (including one out of session meeting on 4 July 2017), and eight PMC meetings – 15
December 2014, 21 July 2015, 8 November 2015, 28 January 2016, 21 June 2016, 16 September
2016, 9 March 2017, 23 June 2017 (including an out of session on December 2017). This is about half
the number expected in terms of the design. It was also noted that the formal government
arrangements and technical working groups (TWGs) were not implemented consistently throughout
the program affecting coordination and collaboration.
The operational effectiveness of the Facilitating Contractor has improved with the recent
organisational changes. The staff turnover in the past is indicative of an unstable operational
environment. Feedback from key informants and partners suggested that the culture and management
approach was not conducive to optimal performance. Partners also made comments regarding poor

45
MEF March 2016.
46
This was intended only as a stop-gap measure until the PMS and PSCO was properly implemented.
47
PBEd, PBSP, RCTQ and ACTRC.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 27

quality services and reputational concerns. The decision not to co-locate (embed within DepEd) limited
the ability of the Facilitating Contractor to support DepEd project management staff and systems as
envisaged by the design. The decision not to co-locate was due to not being able to agree suitable
accommodation. This was perceived negatively by DepEd and continues to be a point of contention.
Feedback from other donors involved in the education sector indicated that coordination among the
donors had declined since BEST was implemented. Australia, as the biggest education donor in the
Philippines, has a strong and trusted relationship with DepEd and there are opportunities to help
DepEd improve coordination and facilitate improved dialogue between donors, BEST partners, private
sector organisations and other stakeholders.
Coordination of research activities to directly benefit BEST was also deemed problematic. In terms of
support for BEST, it is clear that some research has been adopted, for instance the updated
professional teaching standards. However, it is currently unclear what the conduit or coordination
mechanism is for translating research into policy and practice without active technical working groups,
policy forums or other facilitating structures.

6. Lessons learnt for future programs

There are many lessons to be derived from the initial implementation of BEST that have implications
for future investments in education and other sectors. These are given below with brief discussions on
their implications.
Policies and strategies of partner governments frequently change over the life of a long-term
program often reducing its relevance to both partners.
Changing government administrations, strategies, policies and budgets should be factored into
programs using strategic risk management processes. These should be anticipated and managed.
These should be jointly identified and managed on commencement. Flexible programming
arrangements should be built into contracts and agreements to ensure relevance can be
maintained through programming cycles.
Using a flexible fund to provide technical assistance has advantages and disadvantages. While
it can provide targeted assistance to alleviate bottlenecks, it can also result in fragmentation of
interventions and a loss of program impact and relevance if not well managed.
Using a flexible facility to provide targeted technical assistance needs to operate within a carefully
defined strategic envelope to maintain relevance and avoid exploitation. For instance as a catalyst
to unlock existing resources, or to support specific policy research that will result in evidence-
based policy development in areas relevant to both governments. It should not duplicate
assistance that can be procured locally using counterpart government budgets, but provide a
mechanism to access international expertise.
Building on previous programs and interventions is a good use of resources, however a
stocktake or baseline analysis is needed on commencement to understand the value of the
added contributions.
One of the strengths of BEST has been that almost all interventions have built on past initiatives.
However, it is difficult to evaluate what added value BEST has contributed without a good
understanding of the situation for each of these initiatives on commencement of BEST. For
instance BEST built on previous M&E frameworks using significant investment but it is difficult to
ascertain the extent of new work compared to what existed before.
Collaboration and coordination between partners does not occur without either contractual
arrangements or clear and agreed mutual benefits occurring. Poor collaboration and
coordination has resulted in fragmentation and a lack of program cohesion.
Under a diverse partnership arrangement, particularly where partners are contracted at separate
times and directly with DFAT (rather than through a Facilitating Contractor), there needs to be
formal mechanisms in place to encourage collaboration and the development of a cohesive,
integrated program. This currently represents a lost opportunity to leverage from the wide-ranging
work being undertaken across the partnership. If the Facilitating Contractor is given this

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 28

 responsibility then they need either direct contractual agreements with all partners (e.g. through a
contract amendment) or the ability to develop mutually beneficial arrangements in areas such as
information management and data sharing.
Implementing partner relationships should be monitored as part of the M&E system and
carefully managed in order to ensure ongoing commitment to the program goals and
outcomes.
Where there are complex partnership arrangements in place, the M&E system should actively
monitor partnership relationships, including attitudes and perceptions of partners at various stages
of the program. This includes commitment to meetings and formal structures, reporting and
accountability. This is important for monitoring and mitigating reputational risk and facilitating
policy dialogue so that the program remains relevant.
If partners have been contracted at different times and staff mobilised progressively then there is
an ongoing need to ensure all are aware of the program’s goals and objectives, and they have a
clear line of sight between their contributions and the program’s intended outcomes.
A well-structured co-design, co-development and co-implementation process is a powerful
mechanism to ensure ownership of, and commitment to, a comprehensive long-term program.
The strength of a program such as BEST was its co-design and co-development approach based
on a well-structured program logic model that built on previous initiatives. Its weakness was that
overall implementation was fragmented, due in part due to the need to build project management
capacity within DepEd. This resulted in a more organic approach to implementation.
Co-implementation can be strengthened by translating the program logic model into a more
practical road map showing partner inputs, activities and outcomes over the full implementation
period. This would enable all partners to clearly identify their roles within an overall framework to
co-implement in a collaborative way. Similar to the systems approach being used by RCTQ, it
enables each partner to understand how they contribute to the development of the education
system.
The value of the Facilitating Contractor being embedded within the counterpart organisation
should also not be underestimated to support co-implementation. This did not happen due to
inadequate occupational and health standards 48, however, it nonetheless had a significant impact
on implementing arrangements and relationships.
The annual planning process is critical and should be strategically led by partner governments
with consultation with all partners to ensure the program remains cohesive and relevant.
Support from the Facilitating or Managing Contractor is required to provide coordination but not to
be the strategic lead. The M&E system must be structured to provide direct support to the annual
planning process.
Formal and informal relationships are equally important for ensuring the program remains on
track and risks are mitigated.
Formal arrangements (e.g. governance and reporting structures) counteract or support informal
decision making processes to ensure transparency and accountability. Where informal structures
dominate through personal relationships, fragmentation can occur, accountability is challenged,
and the program becomes driven by specific interests. DFAT and DepEd risk losing the ability to
provide strategic direction through formal governance arrangements. This occurred to some extent
in BEST due to the complex nature of the partnership and the many actors involved.

48
The designated buildings for co-location were not compliant with Australian occupational health and safety standards. The
decision not to co-locate was based on a cost assessment of meeting the standards and was to be mitigated through a
communications strategy.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 29

The importance of the M&E system in guiding program implementation, accountability, risk
and reporting is frequently underestimated, and problems are recognised and addressed too
late in the program.
The M&E system is critical for maintaining program performance, cohesion and decision support. It
needs to support transparency, accountability, management and strategic decisions, and document
lessons learnt. If the M&E system is not properly implemented from the start then Progress Reports
and Aid Quality Checks will lack integrity. These were questioned during the BEST IPR because
they did not correspond to overall findings. The M&E system should be designed from a user-
perspective (a user-focused approach). The M&E system under BEST needed to meet the needs of
DFAT, the Facilitating Contractor and all other partners and not just DepEd.
Complex programs, such as BEST, can benefit from adopting case study research methods to
better understand what works, what doesn’t and under what circumstances. This approach
serves many important purposes for stakeholders, including public diplomacy.
Local case studies, using mixed method research, can be a valuable source of information for
understanding program outcomes and promoting achievements with real examples. This is
particularly relevant where the program involves many discrete interventions. While using
aggregated descriptive statistics for regions (e.g. BEST versus non-BEST regions) may imply cause
and effect, there are many confounding factors that limit proper interpretation. Case studies provide
a greater understanding of how improvements can be achieved and how these can be scaled up.
If train the trainer training (or cascade training or echo-training) is used as a way of training
thousands of people from the national to local levels then the training should be designed
based on the limitations of the lowest level of training.
Factors such as time available, access to equipment and systems, competency levels and time
between training events, need to be taken into account. Such training programs must be designed
systematically from top to bottom to avoid a deterioration in training quality and knowledge or
technology transfer. For instance if the LACs are being used at the local level, then the national
level training should be designed based on this format. Training effectiveness needs to be
carefully monitored and evaluated to ensure it is effective and there is minimal time lag between
when the trainers have been trained and when the echo-training occurs.
Coordination and communication across the sector requires a strategic approach and must be
adequately resourced and monitored, supported by appropriate facilitating structures.
Considering the many donors and actors in the education sector, good coordination to maximise
the impact of donor investments in education is logical. However, it is often assumed that
coordination does not need to be resourced and will happen through mutual need. This is not
often the case and donor coordination needs to be clearly led by the relevant agency and
supported by stakeholders to deliver this responsibility effectively.
Programs such as BEST undergo a lot of change due to the dynamics of the partners and
governments involved, as well as natural attrition of staff in each of the organisations. In BEST
these have been poorly communicated disrupting critical relationships between partners.
Communication strategies must involve explaining organisational changes and their rationale, so
that partners and staff can quickly adapt.
The information systems developed and supported by BEST have been transformative for
many but a burden to others. This has created an information divide that requires alternative
strategies to address.
The support for the development of information systems for DepEd have been transformative for
most, building on years of previous investment. They have improved budgeting and planning
potentially saving millions of dollars; reduced the burden of administration on teachers;
improved communication with the workforce; improved the ability to track students; increased
the ability to deliver curriculum materials and resources to teachers; and established an
inventory of all school facilities. These are all essential to good planning and resource
mobilisation. However, the lack of access in some locations means that there is now a
technology or information divide. Alternative strategies will be required to ensure these locations
do not get further behind and more disadvantaged.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 30

7. Recommendations
The IPR team conducted a recommendations workshop with key implementing partners following the
development of the initial draft of the IPR. This was an opportunity to refine the IPR’s initial
recommendations, with feedback from implementing partners, into pragmatic and coherent solutions.
The IPR team makes six major recommendations in order to improve results, accountability, value for
money and sustainability for the remaining life of the program. Four of these are high priority and two
are medium priority. They are presented below, including a brief rationale. Annex 6 provides additional
notes on implementation strategies for each of these recommendations.
Recommendation 1

Implement formal program governance structures and improved contractual arrangements,

based on a pragmatic revision of the program design, to counteract the informal decision making
processes and improve accountability, transparency and formal communication. (High priority)

There is a need for a more formalised and mature partnership with coordinating structures that engage
and add value to implementing partners, including DepEd and CHED and other Philippine
Government agencies, as well as private sector partners (PBSP and PBEd) and research centres
(RCTQ and ACTRC). A formalised approach is needed to ensure the use of funds is strategic,
transparent and accountable, and takes into account the roles and responsibilities of various actors in
the education sector.
A starting point would be to map out a meeting schedule working backwards from the end date of the
program; revising the terms of reference for the PSC, PMC and TWGs so they are up to date and
relevant to the needs of the partners; formalise communication channels; reiterate the commitment to
the end of program outcomes and overall goal; and strengthen the PSCO to provide internal
coordination within DepEd. The focus of the PSC and PMC should be oriented towards achieving
measurable results and ensuring sustainable benefits as the program comes to completion through an
agreed exit strategy.
DFAT should also consider addressing the direct contracting arrangements with partners. Many
reporting, coordination and accountability issues could be addressed by having partners directly
contracted to the Facilitating Contractor. This could streamline administration, financial management
and monitoring and evaluation.

Recommendation 2

Improve mechanisms to better evaluate and adopt the research produced by RCTQ and ACTRC
into policies and practice in DepEd. (High priority)

The research centres have produced important research that should influence education policy,
however, it is evident that some of this research is either not being adopted, lacking appropriate
influence, or not understood by policy analysts, planners and decision makers. The research centres
have operated at many levels and with many actors within DepEd to get uptake, however this is
problematic. In the instance of the Professional Standards for Teachers, up take took 12 months
longer than anticipated.
A formal mechanism is needed to help DepEd assess and adopt the research emanating from the
research centres and perhaps have greater influence over the direction of the research undertaken.
The Facilitating Contractor, as a knowledge and information broker, could play an important facilitation
role to ensure the research is understood, evaluated and used to guide policy decisions or programs.
This function could be further developed within DepEd with the assistance of BEST. The Facilitating
Contractor should work with the Policy Research Division (PRD), as the research hub in DepEd, to
ensure it has the capacity to benefit from the work of the research centres and can translate their
findings into policy and practice.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 31

Recommendation 3

Strengthen BEST’s M&E system to better understand the contribution BEST is making towards
achieving end of program outcomes, and to improve accountability, transparency and
understand what works, what doesn’t and under what conditions. (High priority)

BEST’s M&E system does not currently record the contributions BEST makes to each intervention,
along with other contributions from DepEd, or establish a baseline prior to each implementation
(detailing the situation on commencement). It is difficult to disentangle BEST contributions from other
initiatives.
In the past there has been little accountability or transparency in the use of Australian Government
funds. This has improved with the recent annual planning process, however BEST’s M&E system
needs to be revised to capture these contributions and the contributions of other actors.
BEST’s M&E redevelopment should adopt a user-focused approach, use case study research to
understand what works, what doesn’t and under what circumstances, and undertake a series of rolling
evaluations on key program investments such as the cascade training programs, learning action cells
and learning resources portal.
A successful M&E system will be shared by all partners to derive mutually beneficial outcomes. For
instance the Facilitating Contractor should work with PBSP and PBEd to capture lessons from their
programs to inform policy and practice.
The Facilitating Contractor should consider developing information and data brokerage services to
improve the flow of information and data between partners. As a data broker the Facilitating
Contractor would act as an intermediary to document and distribute data between partners to facilitate
its use for research, policy development or decision making.

Recommendation 4

Reorient some program resources to enable a sharp focus on improving teaching, learning,
participation, gender equality and inclusion, and education-employment linkages in target
divisions through a whole of school approach. (High priority)

There is a need for a localised, integrated whole school effort to improve the school’s performance in
teaching and learning to demonstrate the impact of BEST’s investments. This was a feature of the
BEST design. Due to the fragmented way in which BEST has been implemented it is difficult to see
how combined interventions will lead to significant improvements without some examples of where
these come together at the local level. Schools need to be identified where national policies and
systems can be combined with local interventions to improve teaching and learning for the remainder
of the program in order to evaluate the impact of BEST interventions at the local level. This information
can then be used to inform scale up. Central to this recommendation is improving teaching and
learning, but also to rationalise the efforts put into school based management, school improvement
programs, continuous improvement, monitoring and evaluation and adjustment, and information
systems development.
In order to improve the relevance to the Australian Government it is also recommended that there is a
focus on gender responsive education, inclusive education and education-employment linkages as
part of this whole school effort. The addition of Grades 11 and 12 has created a new need for 1.4
million senior high school graduates to find employment or business opportunities when they complete
school in 2018. Secondary schools and colleges need assistance developing career paths and options
for graduating senior high students to realise the benefits of their extra schooling.49

49
DepEd has a memorandum of agreement with 13 industry partners, for SHS graduates to complete 80 hours
for training and certification. However, this may not be sufficient for them to obtain work, due to high rates of youth
unemployment. The share of working-age youth not in education or employment was estimated to be 22% April-
October 2016 (NEDA, 2017, p. 146).

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 32

Recommendation 5

Develop a clearing house for local innovative strategies, policies and practices at the school
level. (Medium priority)

The BEST design document has the school as the unit of measurement in terms of end of program
outcomes on improved student scores. A whole school orientation to learning improvement requires a
local strategy, policies and practices, rather than a cascade of parts down from the national level. This is
particularly so in the case of BEST, where the design specifies targeting schools with the aim of tracking,
in an experimental way, what it takes to move a school from poor to better performance and from good
to excellent. These local strategies, policies and practices could be captured in a similar way curriculum
content is captured, from the bottom up and shared nationwide through an information portal.
The innovation grant will be one way to generate innovative local projects that may lead to new local
policies and practices. This clearing house could be used to capture these innovations for sharing.

Recommendation 6

Assist DepEd to implement effective donor coordination mechanisms to create more value
from available donor resources. (Medium priority)

Donor coordination can avoid duplication of effort leading to more effective and efficient use of donor
investments. The Project Management Service (PMS) within DepEd includes a donor coordination and
monitoring function and would be a logical area to focus building this capacity. During the conduct of
the IPR, donor coordination by DepEd was being strengthened through the current administration
using an external consultant to augment PMS capacity and conduct Development Partner
Coordination Forums on key themes. BEST has also provided some technical support to the PMS to
establish the project information system as a source of information about donor activities and outputs.
BEST has an opportunity to build on this work and assist DepEd by building its capacity to apply this
system to strengthen coordination with donors through effective communication flows, governance,
monitoring and evaluation, and program management.
Donors appear to be pursuing their own approaches to coordination and have commented on the
challenges to coordinate with DepEd on technical assistance because of their internal structures.
Performance of the donor coordination function may have suffered during the implementation of the
Rationalization Plan (2014-15) and perhaps poor communication with donors on the role of the PMS
has affected interaction. Some donors found it more convenient to communicate through personal
contacts.
At a sector-wide level, donors recognised Australia’s leading contribution to education in the
Philippines and would like to leverage from this in a collaborative and coordinated way. A
strengthened collaborative effort between donors through the Education Donor Group (EDG) could
result in better coordination of technical support and expertise that can support DepEd to deliver better
services with greater responsiveness.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 33

Annex 1: Bibliography
AusAID/DFAT. (2012). Basic Education Sector Transformation Program Design Document.

Briones, L. (2016). Quality, Accessible, Relevant and Liberating Education for All. Education Summit,
2016, (p. 6).

Briones, L. M. (2016). Quality, Accessible, Relevant and Liberating Basic Education for All.

Cardno. (2014-17). BEST Six-Monthly Progress Reports.

Cardno. (2017). PowerPoint Presentation on Key Performance Indicators.

Department of Education Philippines (2017) Departmental Orders –

http://www/deped.gov.ph/orders/do-42-s-2017 – Departmental order on Professional teacher
standards August 11 2017
DFAT. (2014). Australian Aid: Promoting prosperity, reducing poverty, enhancing stability.

DFAT. (2015). Aid Investment Plan, the Philippines, 2015-16 to 2017-18.

DFAT. (2015). BEST Quality at Implementation Report 2014.

DFAT. (2015). Strategy for Australia's Investments in Education.

DFAT. (2015-17). BEST Quality at Implementation Reports.

DFAT. (2017). Investment Quality Reporting Good Practice Note.

Government of the Philippines. (2017). National Expenditure Program, Volume 1, Fiscal Year 2018: A
Budget that Reforms and Transforms.

IPR. (2017). Interview notes.

National Educational Testing and Research Centre. (2016). Philippines Statistical Yearbook, 2016,
Chapter 10.

NEDA. (2016). Philippines Development Plan 2017-2022, Chapter 10, Accelerating Human Capital
Development.

NEDA. (2017). Philippine Development Plan 2017-22.

OECD-DAC. (2010). Glossary of Key Terms in Evaluation and Results Based Management.

World Bank. (2016). Assessing Basic Education Service Delivery in the Philippines: The Philippines
Public Expenditure Tracking and Quantitative Service Delivery Study.

World Bank. (2016). Developing a Proficient and Motivated Teacher Workforce.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 34

Annex 2: Terms of Reference and Approach and Methodology
Independent Progress Review
Background

The Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) Program is Australia’s response to the Philippine
Government’s request for support to the implementation of the 2013 Enhanced Basic Education Act
(Republic Act 10533) which adds a mandatory Kindergarten and years 11 and 12 to the 10-year
education system, known as the K–12 Reform Agenda. Before K–12, the Philippines was the last
country in Asia and one of three countries worldwide with a 10 year basic education system.
Restructuring the Philippines basic education system through K–12 is the most significant education
reform undertaken by the country. It is a highly ambitious agenda that poses major technical and
resourcing constraints for the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher
Education (CHED). But if implemented well, K–12 will have a transformative effect on the quality of
Filipino graduates that will produce a higher skilled and more employable workforce for long-term
economic growth prospects. BEST provides the framework for consolidating more than 10 years of
Australian aid investment in education. Elements of previous investments that ended in 2014 and
aligned with the objectives of BEST were included in design and implementation.

BEST is a 6-year program (2013-2019) with the following target outcomes:

1. More children are able to demonstrate improved mastery of the basic education curriculum
competencies (especially in English, Mathematics and Science).
2. More boys and girls participate in and complete education in target areas.
3. DepEd is better able to deliver basic education services that is gender responsive and inclusive,
with greater decentralisation of management and accountability to the field offices and schools.
To achieve these outcomes, BEST areas of focus include improvements in curriculum and learning
materials, teacher development and governance, including classroom construction and provision of
equipment for the Unified Information System. These areas align with DepEd priorities and
responsibilities. BEST also supports the Commission on Higher Education to align teachers’ tertiary
education with K–12 requirements. Types of support include technical assistance, capacity building
and research.

BEST interventions are national in scope with intensive support directed to six regions – National
Capital Region, Bicol, Northern Mindanao, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.
The review will also assess the implementation progress in the focus regions.

BEST is delivered through the following mechanisms:

• Facilitating Contractor – Cardno Emerging Markets
• Not-for-Profit corporate organisations:
− Philippines Business for Social Progress (classroom construction)
− Philippine Business for Education (1,000 teachers program)
• Academic Institution Consortia partnerships between Australian and Philippine universities:
− University of New England with Philippine Normal University (Research Centre for Teacher
Quality – RCTQ)
− University of Melbourne with University of the Philippines (Assessment, Curriculum, Technology
Research Centre – ACTRC)

BEST is now in its fourth year of implementation with the agreement with Cardno commencing August
2014. The classroom construction program delivered through PBSP was started earlier (August 2013)
to respond to classroom shortage brought about by disasters. The contribution to PBEd 1,000
teachers program started December 2014. The research centres (ACTRC and RCTQ) originally
started in 2012 through a PSLP grant and was eventually folded to the BEST program through an
amendment of the contract in April 2015.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 35

Current Situation

In the four years BEST has supported the DepEd to transition to the full implementation of the K to
12 program, including the implementation of the DepEd Rationalization Program. Recent
developments include:

• Rationalization program was implemented in DepEd with personnel moving to new offices in the
new organisational structure.
• A new administration has started in June 2016 with a new DepEd Secretary and executives
appointed.
• The first batch of senior high school students (Grade 11) started in June 2016 and we are
expecting the first graduates of the program in March 2018.
• While K–12 implementation remained a priority, the new administration have new emerging
priorities such as Alternative Learning Systems, Drug Education, Comprehensive Sexuality
Education, and improving budget utilisation.

With the completion of the first K to 12 implementation in March 2018, it is unclear how this will
change the landscape in terms of youth employment.

Purpose of the Review

A midterm independent progress review (IPR) is now required to provide the evidence that the
program is on track, still relevant, and aligned with other DFAT programs. The Philippines Department
of Education and DFAT will use the evaluation to improve BEST implementation to 2019. The review
will also consider information on the future outlook for Australia and other donors to engage in the
national education sector the Philippines.

The review aims to:

1. Provide evidence-based assessment to demonstrate whether the program is on track to deliver
what the design committed to achieve.
2. Assess if the program is still relevant to Australia and Philippines policy priorities and highlight
areas for improvement for the remainder of the implementation period.
3. Evaluate if the modality of the BEST program supports or impedes the efficient and effective
delivery of the program.
4. Assess how BEST collaborates with other programs funded by the Australian Government,
programs delivered by the Philippines government, and other international organisations.
5. To provide advice and lessons learnt to inform the scale and possible options for Australia’s
future engagement in national education within the scope of the current Philippines Government
policies and priorities.

The primary audience of the report will be:

1. Philippines Department of Education
2. Philippines National Economic Development Authority
3. DFAT Manila and Canberra

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 36

Scope and focus

The review will assess the program at the National, Regional, Division, and the five BEST
implementing partners on progress against end of program outcomes. This will include the modality of
the BEST partnership arrangements.

The review will answer the following questions:

1. Given the change in leadership in both the Australian and the Philippine governments, is the
program still relevant to both governments’ priorities?
2. What are the implications of progress to date for the Philippines Government’s education reform
agenda/implementation of K–12 under the Duterte administration, how can BEST continue to
respond to challenges/these implications or are there alternative strategies to improve progress?
3. To what extent has the program contributed to the development of teachers given the change in
curriculum (both in-service and pre-service)?
4. To what extent has the program contributed to:
a. girls’ and boys’ improved mastery of the K to 12 curriculum competencies (especially in
English, Mathematics and Science), including girls and boys with a disability, indigenous
girls and boys, and girls and boys from groups who are marginalised in the Philippines;
b. more boys and girls participating in and completing education in target areas, including girls
and boys with a disability, indigenous girls and boys, and girls and boys from groups who
are marginalised in the Philippines; and
c. DepEd being better able to deliver gender responsive and inclusive basic education with
greater decentralisation of management and accountability to the field offices and schools in
target areas?
5. How appropriate and effective is the BEST program modality in achieving progress towards
outcomes and/or in supporting DepEd to deliver basic education services with greater
decentralisation of management and accountability?
6. How has the M&E system collected and used data for program decisions at national, regional,
division and school levels, and what tools/changes to the framework are needed in order to
assess progress towards outcomes by the end of the investment?
7. How appropriate are the strategies in place to ensure that DepEd continues the activities of the
program without Australian Government funding?

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 37

Approach and methodology
The objectives of the IPR were addressed using the key evaluation questions (KEQs) to develop the
evaluation framework and guide the research methods. 50
Given the time and resource constraints the approach used a ‘convergent parallel mixed method
design’. 51 This involves collecting qualitative and quantitative information in parallel and merging the
primary and secondary data during the synthesis of results into an overall judgement of performance.
Data is collected independently and used as a means for triangulation and corroboration of evidence.
Interviews and focus group discussions were the main source of primary information (see Annex 3 for a list
of key informants). Secondary information was obtained through document reviews. Quantitative data
were accessed through existing M&E systems and DepEd databases where available, although this was
limited for the period of interest. Perception surveys with open and closed questions were conducted but
the responses from stakeholders were limited and subsequently not included in the review.
An evaluability assessment conducted during the early phase of the field work revealed that:

• There has been a high degree of staff turnover and instability in each of the key partners involved
(DFAT, DepEd and Cardno) during the period. Corporate knowledge has been lost. The review
included informants who have moved on to new positions to corroborate evidence and fill in
knowledge gaps.
• Many of the interventions have built on previous initiatives without a baseline account of what was
in place prior to BEST being implemented. It is difficult to ascertain progress during the period of
BEST without a clear understanding of the situation on commencement for many interventions.
• Activities and training have not been uniformly implemented at the sub-national level. It has been
difficult to obtain data on what interventions have been implemented where. In some instances
interventions have occurred outside of the designated BEST regions and other training has
occurred using a cascading approach but this has not been captured. This fragmentation makes it
difficult to assess the combined impact of the program in terms of teaching and learning at the
local level.
• The Monitoring and Evaluation interventions have focused on the institutional requirements of
DepEd and the education sector rather than for accountability and learning purposes under the
program. This limits what information is available to assess the contribution Australian Government
funds have made to improving educational outcomes.
• National standardised academic scores, participation and completion rates (at the national and
regional levels) are not available beyond 2014-15. This limits the ability to compare BEST regions
with other surrounding regions, given BEST officially commenced in August 2014. The databases
developed under BEST (and previous programs) are going through a data validation and cleansing
phase, including incorporation of records from private schools. This means that any baseline data
(from 2014) will still contain many erroneous records (duplicates and ‘ghost’ student records).
These factors affected how the IPR team approached the evaluation study and subsequently
interpreted key findings.

50
An Evaluation Plan and accompanying evaluation framework was produced prior to conducting field work. This
document provides a more detailed description of the intended methodology.
51
Cresswell, J.W and V.L. Plan-Clark (2011) Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, SAGE
publishing 457pp.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 38

Annex 3: Key informants and focus group discussions
To maintain confidentiality, individuals associated with organisations have not been identified.

• Interviews with current and previous DFAT staff at Post in Manila involved in the BEST program
• Interviews with current and previous Cardno staff, including specialists, involved in the BEST
program in Manila
• Interviews with current and previous executives from Department of Education, Central Office,
Philippines
• Interviews with Department of Education staff in the ICT section, Project Management Services
and Project Support and Coordination office
• Focus group discussions with regional staff from Division 3 and the National Capital Region
(knowledge café approach with 26 participants)
• Focus group discussions with regional and divisional staff in Region 8
• Focus group discussions with regional and divisional staff in Region 6
• Focus group discussions with teachers and special education teachers in Regions 6 and 8
• Focus group discussions with local stakeholders including local government and the parent
teachers association in region 8
• Interviews with school heads in Region 6
• Focus group discussion with STEP-UP student teachers in Iloilo Teacher Education College
• Focus group discussion with senior high school students in Region 6, Pavia High School
• Key informant interviews with key partners and donors
− Research Centre for Teacher Quality
− Assessment Curriculum and Technology Research Centre
− Philippine Businesses for Education
− Philippine Businesses for Social Progress,
− UNICEF
− Asia Development Bank
− The Asia Foundation ADB

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 39

Annex 4: Major achievements summarised from BEST Progress
Reports

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 40

Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST): Summary of implementation progress

Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

1.1 Pre-service 1.1.1 National TEI curriculum audit RCTQ Teacher Development Needs Study (TDNS) and Teacher Educator Development
teacher education designed and implemented Needs Study (TEDNS) completed in 2014, and presented to participating TEI Presidents and
teacher educators in workshops and other fora in 2015.

In 2016, RCTQ conducted additional curriculum mapping/gap analysis with 34 TEIs, and
consulted with the TEIs on the findings and implications of the TDNS and TEDNS.

In 2016-17, BEST and the Research Centre for Teacher Quality engaged the first batch of 10
TEIs to review the Teacher Education curriculum and course syllabi vis-à-vis the demands of
the new K–12 Basic Education program.

RCTQ provided technical support to introduce Curriculum Quality Audits (CQA) and trained 30
selected faculty members from the 10 TEIs. In turn these group have trained a total of 500+
faculty in their respective sites. The trained faculty organised and implemented onsite CQA
processes to review their course syllabi with technical assistance from BEST and RCTQ.

1.1.2 Philippines Professional RCTQ worked with DepEd to introduce the National Developmental Competency Based
Standards for Teachers Teachers Standards (D-NCBTS) in 2014, and to validate/field-test them in 2015. Two teacher
Implementing Guidelines developed performance assessment tools (individual performance plan and review form; and Classroom
Observation Tool) were developed and trialled in DepEd schools in Region 1 and CAR in 2015.

1.1.3 TEI pre-service teacher RCTQ conducted workshops with TEIs, in particular, with Centers of Excellence (COEs) and
educators trained on competencies members of Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC) (n=200) on PPST.
aligned to teacher professional
standards

52
Outputs are from the DepEd-approved revised BEST Theory of Change, Sept 2017.
53
From Six Monthly Progress Reports (SMPR): SMPR1 July-December 2014; SMPR2 January-June 2015; SMPR3 July-December 2015; SMPR4 January-June 2016; SMPR5
July-December 2016; SMPR6 January-June 2017; and from additional documents and interviews during field-work.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 41

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

1.1.4 CHED Research and Reform In 2015, BEST worked with CHED on how to implement the Master Plan for Pre-Service
Agenda for Teacher Education Teacher Education, which included plans for: regional actions to align the teacher education
developed and advocated to TEIs curriculum with K–12, and teacher standards; pre-service programs and course syllabi;
upgraded Licensure Examination for Teachers qualification; outcomes-based education in
pre-service programs; new graduate/masters programs for in-service teachers; new routes
into teacher training; and raising the quality of teacher research.

1.1.5 TEI pre-service student Philippine Business for Education’s Scholarships for Teacher Education Programs to Upgrade
selection strategy and mentoring Teacher Quality in the Philippines (BEST STEP-UP) has promoted teaching as a profession,
program piloted with 1,000 scholars and awarded around 700/1000 planned scholarships to date. Eighty-five (85) undergraduates
and 179 Certificate in Teaching Profession scholars have completed their studies in BEST’s
10 focus TEIs. 19/16 pre-service scholars who took the March 2017 Board Licensure
Examination for Teachers passed the examination (84%). Only three scholars are teaching in
DepEd, with the remaining 82 in temporary positions in private high schools, State Universities
and Colleges, while they wait for a [better-paid] DepEd position.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 42

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

1.2 In-service 1.2.1 Teacher professional In 2015, BEST helped draft a policy on Revitalising the Teacher Induction Program (TIP).
teacher development program including SMPR6 reported that in 2017 the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) had
development and Learning Action Cells (LAC) on ‘informed crafting of the Teacher Induction Policy (with TEC), and draft implementing
support applied Philippine Professional guidelines for Continuing Professional Development (with NEAP, TEC and BHROD)’.
Standards for Teachers (PPST)
designed and delivered In 2015, RCTQ reached agreements with Directors of BHROD and NEAP to collaborate on
tools for teacher professional development: self-assessment career stage tool to inform
teacher PD needs; Classroom Observation Instrument for monitoring and enhancing teacher
performance; and Results- based Performance Management System (RPMS) teacher position
and competency profile to evaluate teachers’ yearly performance.

In 2015, BEST including RCTQ provided technical advice on the development of the Learning
Action Cell (LAC) National Policy, including re-drafting different versions of the policy and
preparing a comprehensive set of guidelines for schools.

In 2015, RCTQ as part of the sub TWG on Teacher Assessment, chaired by Director Pantoja,
helped draft a revised K–12 Teacher Assessment Policy, and reviewed policies on teacher
assessment.

In 2016-17, a Learning Action Cell (LAC)54 Starter Kit was developed in conjunction with
DepEd, and 156 schools were oriented (Level 1 training) on LACs.

BEST commenced a partnership with Microsoft Philippines, using the resources and expertise
of Microsoft Education Ambassadors in 17 regions, to create ICT Learning Action Cell activity
cards for office productivity, teaching with technology, coding, STEM and accessibility tools for
Special Education. The Ambassadors work with DepEd classroom teachers, ICT coordinators,
Education Program Specialists, Information Technology Officers, School Principals and
Division Superintendents on ICT awareness and quality assurance.

RCTQ worked with the Philippines Science High School (PSHS) in 2016 and 2017 to design a
professional development program for PSHS teachers based on the PPST. RCTQ has trained key
people from sixteen PSHS campuses across the country on the Standards and the tools. These
people will subsequently train the teachers on their campuses on the PPST and PPST tools.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 43

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

1.2.2 Teacher Educator Program In 2016, Grades 5 and 11 National Training of Trainers was designed and conducted.
on English, Mathematics, Science Regional master plans for the professional development of teachers were developed, and 16
and Filipino subject specialisation trainers per region were trained on Early Language Literacy and Numeracy.
designed and delivered at
Regional, Division and School level In 2017, BEST provided technical assistance to develop English, science, mathematics, and
Filipino (ESMF) training and resource packages, and helped select and organise trainers for
DepEd’s ‘Pedagogical Retooling in Mathematics, Languages and Science’ (PRIMALS) for
Grades 4–6. Two trainings were held in May-June 2017: i) regional training of 183 division
supervisors, public school district supervisor, principals and master teachers in Region 6
covering Grades 4-6 ESMF, Collaborative Lesson Planning (CLP), and Learning Action Cells
(LAC); ii) national training of 234 trainers on PRIMALS 4–6 to develop national, regional, and
division trainers on ESMF content and pedagogy, who can in turn train teachers at the district
and school levels.

District and school clusters in support of LAC were formed to foster collaborative lesson
planning implementation.

1.2.3 Contextualised and GESI In 2015, BEST designed a comprehensive training program for early language literacy and
sensitive teaching and learning numeracy for all K–3 teachers and school heads. RCTQ developed and piloted (Regions 1
materials developed and and 7) technology-supported PD materials on Early Literacy Development and Instruction for
disseminated to teacher educators newly hired (induction) K-3 teachers. Modules on Child Development Principles and Literacy
and teachers and Numeracy Instruction were also developed for teacher PD (with Community of Learners
Foundation). BEST developed a module and sub-modules on Career Guidance and
Counselling for teachers to aid Grade 10 students in choosing their Senior High School track.

Curriculum guides for Kindergarten to Grade 12 were made available online early in 2016,
with an accompanying procedure manual for the Bureau of Learning Resources (BLR). BEST
trained staff in the Regional Curriculum and Learning Management Division, and helped move
functions from the Instructional Materials Council Secretariat (IMCS) to BLR.

54
LAC is a school-level tool to establish a professional learning community for teachers to improve practice and learning achievement (DepEd order No 35 2016). The
materials cover themes such as Positive Discipline, Inclusive Education, Multigrade and Action Research.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 44

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

In 2016-17 BEST supported three seminar-workshops to review and integrate mother tongue
resources into lesson plans, for staff of the Bureau of Learning Resources and learning
resource evaluators from the Bureau of Curriculum Development and Bureau of Learning
Delivery, facilitated by trainers and software from the Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL).
The workshops produced two volumes of teaching and learning packages, including 200
teaching-learning materials in Mother Tongue (Science, Math, AP, Mother Tongue) and
English. The SIL software was entered in an international competition on reading access
supported by DFAT, USAID, World Vision and the Global Reading Network. Mother tongue
materials were made available through the NCR Regional Office using Bloom software (a free
and open software).

ACTRC’s extensive research into MTB-MLE, led to the convening of a conference in 2017
primarily to showcase ACTRC’s inputs (First National Conference on MTB-MLE, August 2-4,
2017, Mariveles, Bataan). The objective of the conference was to present best practices on
how the MTB-MLE is administered based on policies and guidelines issued by DepEd.

Informed by earlier consultations with local communities (including Coordinators from the
National Commission on Indigenous Peoples), in 2016-17, all 30 divisions in Region V were
guided to consider the uniqueness of each division in the context of the K–12 curriculum and
produce a ‘Divisional Local Heritage Matrix’ (DLHM) and ‘Division Curriculum
Contextualization Matrix’ (DCCM). BEST is planning to evaluate implementation and impact in
Region V before rolling the process out across the system.

1.3 Education 1.3.1 Education Leadership and Curriculum framework and content for the school heads development program (SHDP) was
leadership Management training program approved in 2015, to strengthen school-based management and enable K–12 and senior high
delivered at Regional, Division and school implementation. The school heads’ training complements the one-year
School level Superintendents’ Leadership Program (transitioned from PAHRODF into BEST).

BEST trained 179 Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents on education leadership,

organisation transformation, building learning communities, leading change with continuous
improvement, and the spirituality and ethics of leadership. In 2015, all regions were close to
reaching their target of training more than 5000 SHS principals.

In 2017, BEST assisted with the first draft of DepEd ‘leadership competency models’.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 45

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

1.3.2 National Educators’ Academy NEAP’s charter and strategic plan was developed in 2015-16. BEST trained 85 NEAP learning
of the Philippines (NEAP) facilitators (mostly supervisors from regions and divisions) to roll-out the School Heads
institutional strengthening program Development Program (SHDP) Training at the RO level. BEST also trained: 56 DepEd Staff in
developed Facilitating Adult Learning (23) and Learning Design and Evaluation (33); and NEAP staff on
designing and evaluating learning interventions.

In 2017, BEST provided capacity building on quality assurance and M&E to the National
Educators Academy of the Philippines.

1.4 Curriculum 1.4.1 National Curriculum and In 2015, ACTRC contributed to the formulation of a draft K–12 assessment system and sub-
and assessment Assessment Framework developed systems, including national assessment of student learning, teachers and supervisors’
and implemented assessment, and classroom assessment. An omnibus policy on classroom assessment
was promulgated in April 2015.

ACTRC worked with DepEd’s National Education Testing and Research Centre on: assessing
21st century skills; an audit of K–12 for 21st Century skills integration; review of draft items for
Grade 6 National Achievement Tests, incorporating 21st century skills; and possible use of
ACTRC assessment tools and research to support BEST M&E Plan on student achievement
and teacher practice in formative assessment.

The following studies informed DepEd’s work on assessment in 2016: ACTRC report on
International Large-Scale Assessments presented to DepEd and other forums; ongoing
ACTRC research on formative assessment practices in the classroom; draft policies and
resources on National Assessment of Student Learning; the Classroom Assessment
Resource Books; and validation of K to 6 Classroom Assessment samples to accompany the
finalised Classroom Assessment Policy.

1.4.2 Curriculum contextualisation In 2015-2016, BEST provided initial technical assistance to develop DepEd’s
policy developed and Contextualisation Policy, which was endorsed by DepEd (expected launched by Sec
implementation supported Briones in March 2017).

In 2016-17, through a review and ‘write shop’, representatives from all regions of the
Philippines developed the Curriculum Contextualization Policy drawing on existing policies
and practices including the Indigenous Peoples Education Framework.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 46

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

1.4.3 K–12 curriculum In 2015, a BEST workshop on K–12 Curriculum Implementation in the Regions included
implementation research conducted Regional directors, Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD) chiefs, CLMD
and findings disseminated/used program specialists, regional planning officers, bureau directors, assistant directors, NEAP
director and Office of Planning Services (OPS) Planning and Programming Division (PPD)
chief. The workshop gathered feedback on implemented Regional Office CLMD action plans,
determined data needs for CLMD work, analysed regional data to contextualise CLMD work,
and clarified processes for localising and indigenising the curriculum.

1.4.4 Professional development In 2015-16, three out of five planned training modules were conducted for Regional
program on curriculum and Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD) Chiefs and Education Supervisors to
assessment designed and enhance skills in managing the K to 12 curriculum, contextualising the curriculum, managing
delivered and analysing education indicators, and strategic planning.

In 2016-17, informed by ACTRC indicators showing skills progression, staff from BEA were
trained in developing test items for the ‘21st Century Skills’ 55 indicators of the National
Achievement Test. The training developed 27 test questions for English, Math, Science,
Filipino, and Araling Panlipunan (AP, social sciences).

1.4.5 DepEd classroom In 2016, curriculum guides for Kindergarten to Grade 12 were developed and made available
assessment resource book online. A Code Book on all learning competencies was commenced in 2016, a Kindergarten
developed and disseminated Policy was drafted, and a Language Mapping policy was released.

To support implementation of the Policy Guidelines on Classroom Assessment for the K–

12 Basic Education Program, in 2017 the Classroom Assessment Resource Book (CARB)
was reviewed and finalised with relevant bureaus and DepEd’s office of Curriculum and
Instruction. The book is intended as a resource for: teachers, school heads, trainers, and
supervisors at national, regional, division, district, and school levels; for DepEd cascade
training; and in school-based Learning Action Cells (LACs).

55
‘21st Century Skills’ in the K–13 Curriculum are: Information, Media and Technology Skills, Learning and Innovation Skills, Effective Communication Skills,
Life and Career Skills.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 47

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

1.4.6 DepEd roadmap for Senior SY 2016-2017 marked the start of Senior High School, with the introduction of Grade 11
High School implementation nationwide. BEST assisted all the regions and SDOs with TA where needed to prepare and
expanded implement Senior High School plans and prepare resources (including an SHS manual of
operations, school program offerings, Curriculum Guides for Senior High School Core
Curriculum Subjects, Applied Tracks and Specialised Subjects). Resources were uploaded
and made accessible online for use by the school heads, SDOs, and the regions. BEST
helped DepEd develop a policy and guide for hiring SHS teachers. A Senior High School
communication strategy and content contributed to high public awareness on the importance
of Senior High School, and the high transition rate from Grade 10 to Grade 11.

1.4.7 Multi-grade teacher In 2015, BEST helped to produce an Omnibus policy on Multigrade schools and conducted
development and learning materials Training of Trainers on Differentiated Instruction for Literacy and Numeracy Skills for
Multigrade schools.

In 2016-17, teachers and supervisors from several regions and divisions developed lesson
exemplars for various grade combinations and across learning areas, informing 70 percent of
what is required for teachers of multigrade classes. The package includes K–12 aligned
Integrated Daily Lesson Plans for Science, Math, AP, Filipino, and English; and Integrated
Multigrade Daily Lesson Plans for Cluster 1 (Grades 1-3), Cluster 2 (Grades 3-4), and Cluster 3
(Grades 4-6). The materials have been evaluated and edited by subject experts and Multigrade
consultants and will be ready by the end of 2017 for Multigrade teachers in the Philippines.

1.4.8 DepEd Alternative Learning In 2014, BEST developed a framework to report on the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in
System (ALS) design and the Learner Information System, for the Office of Planning Services (OPS) and the Bureau of
implementation supported Alternative Learning System (BALS). The Universal Information System (ALS) could register
and track learners enrolled in Alternative Learning System (ALS) by June 2015.

In 2015, BEST developed a profile of learners in the Alternative Learning System and those
using Alternative Delivery Modes, and helped draft a policy and revised guidelines for
implementing ALS and ADMs.

1.5 Gender and 1.5.1 DepEd Inclusive Education In May 2015, two disability consultants (one local and one international) reviewed the Program
social inclusion Policy Framework developed Design. Working with BEST specialists and partners in DepEd, the consultants: analysed and
addressing learners with identified progress in developing inclusive policies and approaches in schools; developed a

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 48

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

disabilities, Muslim and IP learners detailed activity plan on including children with disabilities (CWDs); and provided an overview
and ALS of policy development, examples of successful provision for children with disabilities in the
Philippines, and recommendations for strategic development. They consulted with DFAT,
DepEd, Council for the Education of Children and Youth with Disabilities, Assessment
Curriculum and Technical Research Centre (ACTRC), Community of Learners Foundation,
National Council on Disability Affaires, Save the Children and elementary schools. Field visits
in 2015 observed practice in disability, and supported policy development on disability (and
gender), awareness of international best practice and action planning.

In 2016, Student Inclusion Division (SID) personnel (central, region and division) visited
Vietnam to strengthen disability awareness and develop common understanding of Inclusive
Education in DepEd at all levels. BEST conducted a Disabled People Organisation (DPOs)
Workshop in May 2016 to create a working agreement and common understanding between
DPOs, NGOs and different local and international agencies towards Inclusive Education.

The Human Resources Baseline study analysed if HR processes and systems are aligned
with the Magna Carta on Disabled Persons.

BEST’s work around advocacy, value, quantitative and qualitative measurement, and the
Theory of Change of Inclusive Education and Disability were shared at an International summit
in Bangkok in December 2016.

In 2017, the BEST strategy included entry points and a checklist of actions for technical
advisers to identify how their work can contribute to achieving gender, disability and socially
sensitive and responsive outcomes in DepEd. BEST is involving local partners such as the
Disabled People Organisation and the Asia Foundation in meetings, training and developing
inclusion resources and strategies.

On 22-24 February 2017, 1000 participants from the education sector attended the
International Leadership Summit in Inclusive Education. Vice President Leni Robredo and
Australian Ambassador for the Philippines Amanda Gorely attended and acknowledged BEST
for paving the way to establish the Philippine Network for Inclusive Education (PNIE). This
network, led by the National Council for Disability Affairs and made up of Disabled People
Organisations, is a strong advocate of Inclusive Education and involved in policy
development.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 49

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

BEST and DepEd Region VIII office in partnership with LGUs and Disabled People
Organisations are documenting Gender, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) best practices
to inform DepEd’s Inclusive Education Framework, which is being developed by DepEd’s
Bureau of Learning Delivery Student Inclusion Division (SID).

1.5.2 Inclusive Education pilots In 2016, BEST Inclusive Education started work with a specialist on impact mapping and
implemented at Region, Division evaluation to clearly articulate the theory of change for Inclusive Education within BEST.
and school levels Demonstration Inclusive Education schools were planned in clusters across BEST Regions, to
begin in AP3 in Regions 8, NCR in the first 6 months of AP3 and then Regions 6 and 7 in the
second half of AP3.

The BEST Inclusive Education and Disability team worked with the new Student Inclusion
Division (SID) to finalise the Special Education framework and policy, identify areas to
collaborate, and develop clusters of Inclusive Education schools in Region 8 (to capture best
practices and inform policy on inclusive education).

1.5.3 DepEd Gender Responsive In 2015, a Gender Specialist prepared discussion papers on gender and education in the
Basic Education Policy developed Philippines, which recommended: an omnibus department order on gender and development
and mainstreaming support in DepEd; reconstituting gender and development training teams; stabilising membership in
provided gender and development focal committees; formulating a gender and development plan and
budget; aligning student council activities with gender and development principles; ensuring
collection and use of sex-disaggregated data; and providing pre-service training for future
teachers on gender sensitivity.

In 2016, BEST assisted with: drafting the ‘Gender-Fair Education Policy’/Gender

Responsive Basic Education Policy (to be issued in Feb 2017); revising the Gender Plan
and Budget 2016-2018; drafting the BEST Gender and Development Action Plan; a Gender
Analysis Workshop; and incorporating Gender and Development related and sex
disaggregated data in outputs (planning framework, organisational assessment tools, quality
assurance tools).

BEST worked with the Gender and Development Focal Point System (GFPS) and NEAP,
guided by the BEST GAD Assessment Tool, to ensure all subcomponents implement GAD
specific activities or mainstream GAD. For example: gender analysis is included in the human
resources baseline study; the continuous improvement project team and coaches were trained

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 50

 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

on gender sensitivity and using a gender checklist; GAD was integrated into LAC materials
pilot tested in selected schools; a Classroom Resource Guidebook, published by DepEd in the
Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS), includes a section on
how to make classroom assessment gender inclusive; BEST supported procedures in the
Bureau of Learning Resources (BLR) to ensure gender equity principles were applied
throughout; and BEST held initial discussions on embedding GAD in the ongoing School
Heads Leadership Development Program (SHLDP). SMPR5 reported ‘Overall, BEST is on
track to deliver its commitment to achieve gender equality.’

BEST support contributed to the DepEd Gender Responsive Basic Education (GRBE)
Policy being approved on 29 June 2017. The policy commits DepEd to gender mainstreaming
in education to: address enduring and emerging gender and sexuality-related issues in basic
education; promote the protection of children from all forms of gender-related violence, abuse,
exploitation, discrimination and bullying; and promote gender equality and non-discrimination
in the workplace across all governance levels.

The Gender Plan and Budget 2018 was submitted to the Philippine Commission of Women,
so DepEd can access funds to implement gender mainstreaming.

BEST facilitated a draft MOU between DepEd and the Philippine Commission on Women
(PCW) for developing and certifying a pool of gender and development experts in DepEd.
Philippine Commission on Women’s assistance to DepEd is considered critical to sustain
initiatives that BEST has supported.

1.6 Education 1.6.1 School infrastructure built and SMPR5 reported that 253 classrooms had been completed in BEST regions and Pablo-
facilities meets standards for GESI, IE and affected areas, and 23/101 classrooms in Yolanda-expansion areas were under construction.
WASH All classrooms have a toilet, students and teacher's tables and chair sets, clean water and
ramps to improve access of learners with disabilities. Locations were based on need and
determined by DepEd as part of their national infrastructure program.

Since 2014, 169 classrooms56 have been completed out of a project target of 288 [fewer than
reported in SMPR5]. There is ongoing construction of 119 classrooms, at various stages of

56
SMPR6 used trend analysis, pre-post-test analysis, and two-group pre-post-test analysis to test the statistical significance of changes in education indicators in BEST
regions. The report says ‘The analysis suggests that BEST interventions may be contributing positively to the secondary net enrolment rate and average dropout rates, both in
Elementary and Secondary’, and that BEST’s classrooms may have contributed to the changes. This seems implausible, considering: the absence of reliable information on

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 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

completion. Delivered through Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), the
classrooms provide ramp access for teachers, students and community members with
physical or learning disabilities. Water tanks and collection have increased water security for
schools and the local community; new WASH facilities have enabled improved hygiene. The
classrooms can resist fire for 3 hours, withstand 250kph wind load, withstand intensity seven
earthquakes, and prevent floodwater from entering classroom.

BEST is liaising with PBSP on how to disseminate findings from PBSP interviews with the
affected communities, and BEST and PBSP are considering further collaboration (in
particular, on opportunities to maintain positive community engagement with the new schools
beyond physical maintenance).

the geographic targeting of BEST interventions to date; there are more than 15,000 elementary schools and more than 3,000 secondary schools in the BEST regions; and
BEST reporting to date suggests the bulk of expenditure and implementation has been focused on DepEd centrally (mainly involving IT systems, organisational and policy
reforms, and HR development), not in the regions, schools divisions, or schools (i.e. not involving teaching and learning to a significant degree).

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 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

2.1 Policy, 2.1.1 Basic Education Planning, In 2015, the PPD team was trained in using the new program expenditure classification
planning and Budgeting and Performance (PREXC) budget structure and FORM for DepEd budgeting and planning from 2017 (to move
evidence-base Measurement Framework from the output-based Organisational Indicator Framework/OPIF). Training for OPS personnel
developed and implemented covered: setting national targets for cascading to regions, divisions and schools (focus on
planning and M&E); qualitative and quantitative forecasting methods; and targeting approaches.

In 2016, BEST conducted a demonstration activity on the Basic Education Planning System
(BEPS) in Region 7, to harmonise the National Education Development Plan, Regional
Education Development Plan, Division Education Development Plan, SIP continuum, and the
planning processes of the schools, SDOs, regional offices and the Central Office. BEST
delivered training and planning workshops to demonstrate the application of the BEPS with
participants from DepEd regional office 7, and the SDOs of Cebu, Bohol, and Cebu City.

In 2016, BEST provided technical advice on the Education Planning and Budget Strategy and
Philippine Development Plan targets for basic education. BEST provided TA to assist in
developing Regional Educational Plans in all BEST Regions.

As of June 2017, 100% of DepEd offices had uploaded their Work and Financial Plan for
Fiscal Year 2017 into the Program Management Information System (see 2.2.2 below).

2.1.2 M&E Training Program and The Basic Education Agenda for Research (BEAR) was developed for discussion in Feb
Research Management Program 2016, and formally adopted by DepEd in June 2016 DepEd. Research themes are: (i)
designed and delivered teaching and learning, (ii) child protection, (iii) human resource development, and (iv)
governance; with disaster risk reduction and management, gender and development, and
inclusive education as cross-cutting themes.

In 2016-17, BEST completed an assessment of DepEd research management capability,

which will serve as a baseline and basis to identify specific competency-based learning, and
establish a culture of research/evidence use within DepEd.

2.1.3 Policy Development Training In 2015, baseline missions in BEST Regions were conducted to determine capacity of key
Program designed and delivered DepEd personnel to: develop strategic and operational plans; formulate policy and develop
research; and implement school-based management.

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 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

2.1.4 School-based Management In 2015, BEST trained trainers, School Effectiveness Division, Regional SBM Coordinators,
(SBM) and Assessment Policy and Human Resources Development Division, and selected school heads on enhanced SBM
Framework developed and and SIP, so they could roll out the enhanced SIP in their respective field offices. BEST and
implemented at Region, Division DepEd developed the SIP Quality Assessment (QA) tool for schools to ensure their SIPs meet
and School levels addressing SBM, quality standards before submission to Division offices.
SIP and School Governance
Councils BEST documented and evaluated ongoing continuous improvement projects in the original 34
model schools, and 2,000 expansion schools, including five case studies on different aspects
of continuous improvement in the 34 model schools. BEST developed a nationwide pool of
internal experts on continuous improvement, and a Final Trainer’s Toolkit for the Enhanced
School Improvement Plan integrating continuous improvement tools and approaches in the
enhanced School Improvement Plan.

In 2015, PBSP trained: PTA members on strategic planning (89), personal effectiveness (44),
and leadership (9); school heads (78) on how to review the school improvement plan (SIP);
and 16 members of Municipal Local School Boards (LSB) on education agenda formulation
(including how to appropriate Special Education Fund and other resources from local
government units, and how to access financing from real estate tax collection.). PBSP also
assisted 92 schools to review their School Improvement Plans.

In 2016, BEST harmonised the Enhanced SIP with the basic education planning system and
the School Effectiveness Framework, including: SIP Training of Trainers, SIP communication
plan, SIP session guides, SIP planning worksheet with DepEd organisation outcomes and
SIP/continuous improvement/LAC communication plan. In developing the School
Effectiveness Framework, existing policies regarding SBM were reviewed, international
benchmarks for SBM were identified, and the SBM framework and assessment tool were
reviewed and enhanced.

BEST Regions at the regional, division and school levels are being coached and mentored on
Monitoring, Evaluation and Adjustment (MEA).

In 2016-17 BEST helped to develop the School Governance Council policy for shared
governance in school-community engagement, which is expected to ‘serve as an avenue for
stakeholders (i.e. parents, community, local government, and other organisations) to demand
more accountability from the school head and teachers’.

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 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

2.1.5 Capacity development In 2015, BEST reviewed a draft Environmental Safeguards Plan, to discuss with DepEd and
program on DRRD and DRRMIS inform policy and activities in 2015-2016.

In 2016, an Environmental Safeguards Plan was developed with requirements for

environmental assessment, mitigation and enhancement, implementation, monitoring, and
evaluation. Classrooms built by PBSP are disaster-resilient and are designed to withstand
earthquakes and strong winds. Potential schools sites are assessed for hazard vulnerability to
ensure that the site are suitable for classroom construction.

2.1.6 Innovation Fund grant Proposed for implementation between 2017-2019

mechanism established with
eligibility criteria

2.2 Unified 2.2.1 DepEd ICTS-UIS architecture In 2015, BEST procured and installed ‘state-of-the-art converged servers providing increased
Information designed and implemented in CO storage and processing capacity for data and information systems, and an enterprise grade
System and target regions wireless network system’, at DepEd’s Central Office. BEST provided TA for: detailed
engineering design of the DepEd Data Center; DepEd Computerisation Program (DCP)
packages for DCP budget of 2015, 2016 and schools without regular electricity; developing
the web-based Help Desk Ticketing System; and developing national ICT policies and
standards and a framework for inter-agency cooperation (including Public WIFI Internet
Access and Review of DOST’s Government Cloud Computing Strategy.

In 2015, BEST ICT Technical Advisers helped to maintain (performance monitoring,

Trouble-shooting, configuration and adjustment) DepEd’s information systems, including the

DepEd website. Technical assistance included at least 60 technical support users at the
school and field offices (12 per region).

The IT server was handed over to DepEd in May 2017 (one year ahead of schedule).

SMPR6 reported ‘Support to the UIS has enabled efficient and reliable communication links
between school, divisional, regional and national levels.’

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 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

2.2.2 Core information systems In 2015, the Enhanced Basic Education System (EBEIS) was maintained as the ‘single source
expanded and enhanced of truth’ on schools and learning centres: enrolment data by school determines resource
requirements; existing inventories determine remaining needs; other data like buildable space
and electricity supply determine prioritisation for resource allocation; enrolment, teacher and
classroom inventories are used to compute Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses
(MOOE); school addresses are used to identify and alert schools of typhoons;
languages/dialects and ethnicity are used to enhance programs on IPEd and MTB-MLE;
enrolment in SPEd and data on learner exceptionalities are used to enhance the SPEd and
other related programs. Data on health, nutrition and waste management in all public
elementary and secondary schools were added in 2015-16.

With the technical and resource assistance of BEST, the Learner Information System (LIS)
supported DepEd in school year 2016-2017. Data from the LIS on enrolment, programs
offered and school locations, assisted DepEd’s planning to commence Grade 11.

The Program Management Information System (PMIS) was implemented in March 2017 in the
central office, 18 regional offices and 220 schools’ division offices. The PMIS supports
DepEd’s monitoring of program and project implementation, budget forecasting and utilisation
(with the aim of reducing the 27 percent underspend against the recurrent budget).

In 2016-17, the relaunch of the enhanced learning resource portal (LRMDS) allowed schools
to access quality-assured resources for Senior High School, Alternative Learning System and
professional development. As of June 2017, there were 485,722 registered users (teachers,
principals and DepEd officials) in the system with access to 58 senior high school materials
and 6,233 unique published resources.

The Learner Information System ‘is resulting in better availability of management information
for education planning and budgeting; and improve[ed] regulation of the school system since
DepEd now has access to real-time information that it can utilise to perform its regulatory
function. For example, during the first week of June 2017, DepEd reported that about 2,428
displaced learners from Marawi had been enrolled in eight regions. Tracking of these learners
was made easy through the Learner Information System (LIS).’

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 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

2.2.3 Operational information BEST TA has supported development of:

systems developed and
implemented • the School Building Information System (SBIS) and training to regions, to monitor the
construction and repair of school buildings and classrooms
• Enhanced School Building Inventory System, implemented in February 2017 to inform
rational planning and distribution of resources to schools, and school-level inventory
management
• the Enterprise Human Resource Information System (EHRIS) technology, for managing
human resources
• Online Applications System (Human Resources Information System employment
application component)
• a Personnel Registry Module (to pilot in Central Office in 2016)
• modules for personnel tracking, training and development, and performance management
• the Learning Resources Management and Development System (LRMDS) portal, which is
the main facility for uploading and downloading learning materials for teachers and
schools, with portals in Regional Learning Resource Centers.

2.2.4 UIS management and In 2015, BEST provided training, coaching and mentoring of trainers and DepEd region and
maintenance institutionalised in division personnel in the UIS and associated systems, so they could on-train school ICT
DepEd ICTS and Process Owners Coordinators and teachers in their respective divisions. The LAC Team and UIS Team
developed a course and materials to train ICT Coordinators and teachers as trainers in ICT
Literacy Skills Development, and delivered pilot training in 100 schools in Tacloban, Leyte
(before nationwide training).

In 2016-17, the Learning and Development System manual was developed with the National
Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) staff, to be piloted for one year then updated
as required.

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 Component Expected outputs 52 Implementation progress 53

2.3 Organisation 2.3.1 Human Resource- In 2014, BEST agreed a framework and work plan with DepEd for rationalization plan
structure and Organisational Development and (RatPlan) implementation and transition to new structures, including TA roles and
processes Continuous Improvement training responsibilities. Strategies were developed for: communications; coaching and monitoring; TA
program designed and delivered for the Results Based Performance Management System (from PAHRODF); and Total Quality
Management in Basic Education Continuous Improvement (to be integrated into the School
Improvement Plan Guide of DepEd, see 2.1.4 above).

In 2015, change management strategies were developed and implemented for recruitment
and selection, structure strengthening, and moving from old to new physical office spaces.
Training was provided to DepEd central office on effective recruitment and selection, and job
applications; and for the new Bureau of Learning Resources (BLR), Regional Curriculum and
Learning Management Divisions (CLMDs), and the National Educators’ Academy of the
Philippines (NEAP). Capacity-building was provided for regional and schools division DepEd
personnel. BEST conducted Organisational Chartering workshops with the Bureau of Human
Resource and Organisation Development (BHROD), National Educators Academy of the
Philippines (NEAP), Legal Service, Planning Service, and Project Management Service
(PMS). Further chartering workshops were reported in 2016-17 ‘delineating accountabilities
across governance levels’.

In 2016, BEST provided workshops and training programs to BHROD, NEAP staff and
regional officers with HR and OD functions to transition to their new roles. Staff were trained in
strategic HR management and development, change management and large systems
organisation development, and were expected to ‘cascade processes and training on hiring
the right people to all Regions’. BEST helped DepEd personnel roll out two HR systems: the
Results-Based Performance Management System (RPMS) and the Competency-Based
Recruitment, Selection, Placement and Induction (RSPI).

In 2016, BEST assisted with a Senior High School video show, and business process
improvements commencing with the Bureau of Learning Resources, Finance, Planning
Service, and Field Technical Assistance Divisions (FTADs) of Regions 6 and 7.

In 2016-17, 585 continuous improvement Masters (who will train and coach on continuous
improvement in schools) reached satisfactory standards, and 118 continuous improvement
projects were implemented across 16 regions and 104 divisions. With BEST TA, Region II and
Region IV were ‘A ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System certified’. A Framework for
Organisational Effectiveness and tool for office diagnosis were also drafted.

BEST Independent Progress Review Page 58

Annex 5: Education Policies, Guidelines and Studies developed with
assistance from BEST
Three tables are provided to triangulate policy references. The first is from the Department of Education
and is considered the most complete.

The second is from an analysis of progress reporting and highlights the discrepancy between BEST
progress reporting and tracking policy development and implementation. This should be a focus of the
revised M&E system.

The third table highlights the studies conducted. This represents the evidence-base for policy
development supported by BEST.

Policies supported with assistance from BEST (from DepEd)

Policies supported by BEST contributions DepEd Order No. Document Status

1. Omnibus Kindergarten Policy DO 47, 2016 Policy released

2. Language Mapping Policy DO 55, 2015 Policy released

Draft Policy on Implementation Guidelines of ALS

3. For validation
& ADMs

4. Draft Framework on ICT Integration in T&L For validation

5. Guidelines in Forging Partnerships for SHS DO 1, 2016 Policy released

6. Policy Guideline on Implementation of SHS For validation

7. Hiring Policy & Guidelines for SHS Teachers DO 3, 2016 Policy released

Policy Guidelines on Madrasah Education in the K

8. DO 41, 2017 Policy released
to 12 Basic Education Program

9. Draft Special Education Framework For validation

10. Implementing Guidelines on Kariton Klasrum For validation

11. Teacher Induction Program Policy DO 43, 2017 Policy released

12. Policy on Adoption of LAC as a K–12 Tool DO 35, 2016 Policy released

13. Omnibus Policy on Multigrade Schools For validation

14. Revised K–12 Teacher Assessment Policy (draft) For validation

Draft Policy on the Utilisation of EGRA and EGMA

15. DO 57, 2015 Policy released
Tools for System Assessment
Draft Policy on Use of Revised Philippine Informal
16. For validation
Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI)

17. Policy on national assessment of student learning DO 55, 2016 Policy released

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 59

 Policy Guidelines on Classroom Assessment for
18. DO 8, 2015 Policy released
the K–12 Program
Policy Guidelines on System Assessment in the K–
19. DO 29, 2017 Policy released
12 Basic Education Program

20. (Adopting of) IPEd Curriculum Framework DO 32, 2015 Policy released

21. Continuous Improvement Policy Drafted

22. Basic Education Research Agenda DO 39, 2016 Policy released

23. Enhanced School Improvement Plan (SIP) Policy DO 44, 2015 Policy released

24. Draft K–12 M&E Framework Drafted

25. Gender Responsive Basic Education Policy DO 32, 2017 Policy released

National Adoption and Implementation of the

26. DO 42, 2017 Policy released
Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers

27. Curriculum Contextualization Policy Being developed

28. Inclusive Education Policy Being developed

29. Policy on Policy Agenda Being developed

30. Policy on School Governance Councils Drafted

Department Order for the Planning & Budget

31. Drafted
Strategy

32. Recruitment Policy Being developed

33. Compendium of Office Charters Drafted

34. SBM Policy and Framework Being developed

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 60

Education Policies and Guidelines associated with BEST contributions reported in progress reports

Sub-component Policy

Teaching National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards

for Teachers (DO_s2017_042)
Policy on Revitalising the Teacher Induction Program (TIP)
Learning Action Cell (LAC) National Policy (and guidelines for schools)
K–12 Teacher Assessment Policy
Policy and guide for hiring SHS teachers
Learning Omnibus policy on [formative] classroom assessment (with Classroom
assessment Assessment Resource Book, CARB, and sample assessments)
Policy Guidelines on Classroom Assessment for the K–12 Basic Education
Program (DO_s2015_2008)
Policy Guidelines on the National Assessment of Student Learning for the K–12
Basic Education Program (DO_s2016_55)
Curriculum Curriculum Contextualisation Policy
Indigenous Peoples Education Framework
Kindergarten Policy
Language Mapping policy
ACTRC support to BEA for integration of 21st century skills into the curriculum.
ACTRC research into MTB-MLE contexts in the Philippines and DepEd’s used in
policies and guidelines and showed it its first national MTB-MLE conference,
2017.
Participation and Learner Registration System and related policies
inclusion
Omnibus policy on Multigrade schools
Policy and revised guidelines for implementing ALS and ADMs
Special Education framework and policy
Gender Responsive Basic Education Policy (GRBE, to be issued in Feb 2017)
Schools School Governance Council policy
Environmental Safeguards Plan
Research Basic Education Agenda for Research
Governance National Education Planning and Budget Strategy

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 61

Studies developed with assistance from BEST reported in Progress Reports

Sub- Study
component
Teaching LAC case studies (by BEST LAC Project Team)
RCTQ Teacher Development Needs Study (TDNS)
Teacher Educator Development Needs Study (TEDNS)
ACTRC studies on formative assessment
Curriculum and ACTRC case studies on factors associated with use of tablets in classrooms
assessment
ACTRC Science Curriculum Study (Pre-Grade 7 to Grade 10)
Baseline on Kindergarten Implementation
Baseline on Learning Competencies and Formative Assessment
Study on mapping the Grades 4 to 10 continuum
Participation ACTRC and UP validation study of an assessment tool for use by teachers with
and inclusion students with additional needs
Asian Institute of Management/AIM case studies on Transition from Grade 6 to
Grade 7 (ten school/feeder school case studies were planned)
Baseline on Marginalised Learners
ACTRC Longitudinal Study of Learning Achievement of Students in the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (LEARN-ARMM)
Profiling of learners in the Alternative Learning System and the Alternative Delivery
Modes
Four studies on Mother Tongue Based-Multi Lingual Education (MTB-MLE):
Baseline; large scale descriptive; case studies; student learning outcomes focussed
on best practices across language type.
Schools AusAID/DFAT baseline classification of 2293 elementary and 425 secondary BEST-
targeted schools [as poor, fair, good, great or excellent]
Evaluation (by BEST TA) of ongoing continuous improvement projects in the original
34 model schools, and 2,000 expansion schools, including five case studies on
different aspects of continuous improvement in the 34 model schools.
School Profile Baseline Study (Regional Profiles of BEST Regions) profiling each
region’s implementation of the basic education program, school's practices on
teaching and learning, school based management, and public kindergarten
implementation
Governance Baseline Assessment of NEAP Capacity and Competency
Baseline Study (Macro Perspective), presented by Dir. Roger Masapol in 2016
Human Resources Baseline Study (to assess 2014 state of all Human Resource
Management and Development Systems)
Inventory of Competencies, Work Processes/bottlenecks and M&E practices in the
six Regions of BEST (commenced May 2015)

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 62

Research Assessment of DepEd research management capability

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 63

Annex 6: Discussion paper on recommendations and approaches to
implementation

Recommendation 1

Implement formal program governance structures, based on a pragmatic revision of the program
design, to counteract the informal decision making processes and improve accountability,
transparency and formal communication. (High priority)

There is a need for a more formalised and mature partnership with coordinating structures that engage
and add value to implementing partners, including DepEd and CHED and other Philippine Government
agencies, as well as private sector partners (PBSP and PBEd) and research centres (RCTQ and ACTRC).
A formalised approach is needed to ensure the use of funds is strategic, transparent and accountable, and
takes into account the roles and responsibilities of various actors in the education sector.

A starting point would be to map out a meeting schedule working backwards from the end date of the
program; revising the terms of reference for the PSC, PMC and TWGs so they are up to date and relevant
to the needs of the partners; formalise communication channels; reiterate the commitment to the end of
program outcomes and overall goal; and strengthen the PSCO to provide internal coordination within
DepEd. The focus of the PSC and PMC should be oriented towards achieving measurable results and
ensuring sustainable benefits as the program comes to completion through an agreed exit strategy.

The formalised structure should be supported by a communications strategy to ensure all partners are
fully engaged.

Implementation approach

• Discuss implementing regular meetings of the Project Steering Committee (6 monthly) and the Project
Management Committee (quarterly) with DepEd and ensure they are appropriately structured to
support decision making.

• Implement the two Technical Working Groups and ensure their terms of reference reflects the need
for addressing technical and policy issues. Provide secretarial support to ensure they function
appropriately and decisions are captured.

• Strengthen the Project Management Services in DepEd and support DepEd to implement the Project
Support and Coordination Office for BEST as a joint effort. Work with DepEd to align the terms of
reference for this office to provide the services required by BEST and DepEd to align and coordinate
activities, as well as establishing clear lines of communication between partners and other donors.

• Develop a short communications strategy recognising the formalised governance arrangements.

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 64

Recommendation 2

Improve mechanisms to better evaluate and adopt the research produced by RCTQ and ACTRC
into policies and practice in DepEd. (High priority)

The research centres have produced important research that should influence education policy, however,
it is evident that some of this research is either not being adopted, lacking appropriate influence, or not
understood by policy analysts, planners and decision makers. The research centres have operated at
many levels and with many actors within DepEd to get uptake, however this is problematic. In the instance
of the Professional Standards for Teachers, up take took 12 months longer than anticipated.

A formal mechanism is needed to help DepEd assess and adopt the research emanating from the research
centres and perhaps have greater influence over the direction of the research undertaken. The Facilitating
Contractor, as a knowledge and information broker, could play an important facilitation role to ensure the
research is understood, evaluated and used to guide policy decisions or programs. This function could be
further developed within DepEd with the assistance of BEST. The Facilitating Contractor should work with
the Policy Research Division (PRD), as the research hub in DepEd, to ensure it has the capacity to benefit
from the work of the research centres and can translate their findings into policy and practice.

Intellectual property ownership also appears to be a barrier to the adoption and sharing of research.
Under the contracts with DFAT, research paid for by the program is the property of the Australian
Government. This needs to be reinforced to ensure research results are widely shared amongst partners.

Implementation approach

• Review the research products being developed by the research centres to understand what has direct
and immediate application to DepEd; what has been adopted and what has not. For instance the
findings from the Teacher Development Needs Study (TDNS) has implications for teacher
development that should be built in to local training and development programs (e.g. using LACs).

• Establish a process to simplify the research products so they will be better understood by DepEd in
terms of their application to policy development or other application.

• Look at existing structures such as the Technical Working Groups to assess whether they could
operate as a forum to share and evaluate research for use within DepEd and channel the research to
the appropriate areas for action.

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 65

Recommendation 3

Strengthen the program’s M&E to better understand the contribution BEST is making towards
achieving end of program outcomes, and to improve accountability, transparency and understand
what works, what doesn’t and under what conditions. (High priority)

The M&E system does not currently record the contributions BEST makes to each intervention, along with
other contributions from DepEd, or establish a baseline prior to each implementation (detailing the
situation on commencement). It is difficult to disentangle BEST contributions from other initiatives.

In the past there has been little accountability or transparency in the use of Australian Government funds.
This has improved with the recent annual planning process, however, the M&E system needs to be
revised to capture these contributions and the contributions of other actors.

The M&E redevelopment should adopt a user-focused approach; use case study research to understand
what works, what doesn’t and under what circumstances; and undertake a series of rolling evaluations on
key program investments such as the cascade training programs, learning action cells and learning
resources portal.

A successful M&E system will be shared by all partners to derive mutually beneficial outcomes, for
instance the Facilitating Contractor should work with PBSP and PBEd to capture lessons from their
programs to inform policy and practice.

The Facilitating Contractor should consider developing information and data brokerage services to
improve the flow of information and data between partners.

Implementation approach

• Adopted a user-focused approach to understand how each partner will use BEST’s M&E system, how
it can integrate its own M&E, and the value the Facilitating Contractor can add to each partner.
• Establish a baseline on DepEd’s capabilities in each of the intervention areas to understand how
BEST is making a difference (e.g. for systems strengthening interventions).
• Monitored the types of requests from DepEd for support, what was actually provided, and how they
were contributing to overall program activities.
• Unpack the theory of change into a series of ‘road maps’ which illustrate the contributions made by
each partner towards immediate, intermediate and end of program outcomes.
• Map where interventions have occurred and in what combination – including the impact of national
programs at the local level.
• Using the road map, undertake a series of systematic evaluations of key elements of the program to
test their effectiveness at the local level to improve teaching and learning. Develop these into specific
case studies and success stories to promote good practice.
• Evaluate the efficacy of the cascade approach to training from the national to local level and develop a
system for monitoring staff training and training effectiveness.
• Use case study research to demonstrate what works and what doesn’t and under what conditions at
the local school level. The success case method could be used at the whole of school level to
understand how different interventions work together to improve teaching and learning.
• Use the lessons from the case studies (or pilot programs) to inform scale up to other divisions and
regions, taking into account those schools with ICT/internet access and those without.
• Work with PBSP and PBEd to document their processes and evaluate the benefits of their approach
including undertaking an analysis of costs and benefits of each approach. Work with DepEd to
determine which aspects could be scaled up or implemented through policy changes.

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 66

Recommendation 4

Reorient some program resources to enable a sharp focus on improving teaching, learning,
participation, gender equality and inclusion in target divisions through a whole of school
approach. (High priority)

There is a need for a localised, integrated whole school effort to improve the school’s performance in
teaching and learning to demonstrate the impact of BEST’s investments. This was a feature of the BEST
design. Due to the fragmented way in which BEST has been implemented it is difficult to see how
combined interventions will lead to significant improvements without some examples of where these come
together at the local level. Schools need to be identified where national policies and systems can be
combined with local interventions to improve teaching and learning for the remainder of the program in
order to evaluate the impact of BEST interventions at the local level. This information can then be used to
inform scale up. Central to this recommendation is improving teaching and learning, but also to rationalise
the efforts put into school based management, school improvement programs, continuous improvement,
monitoring and evaluation and adjustment, and information systems development.

In order to improve the relevance to the Australian Government it is also recommended that there is a
focus on gender responsive education, inclusive education and education-employment linkages as part of
this whole school effort.

Implementation approach

• Adopt a school based focus by targeting divisions within each of the six districts, and then schools
likely to make the biggest difference to the quantum of students passing.

• Shift TA support to the BEST regions while continuing technical assistance at DepEd central level vital
to achieving the objectives of improved learning participation and inclusion. In particular this would be
to continue support to NEAP, to the Bureaus of Curriculum and Instruction, to the Bureau of
Educational Assessment and the Planning Service.

• Establish pilot areas were the interventions and policies established can demonstrate how the
progress made at the central level supports the intended program outcomes at the local level.

• Increase the focus on gender sensitive teaching and learning to ensure policies translate into practice.

• Accelerate the establishment of Demonstration Inclusive Education Schools to bring together best practice.

• Design case studies around these areas to demonstrate the impact on teaching and learning, what
works, what doesn’t and under what conditions.

• Confine BEST’s focus of attention to upper elementary and readying students for JHS, conceptually and
in terms of skills, so that BEST is making a contribution to the Philippines goal of employable youth.

• Reform the approach to subject strengthening training by focusing on sharpening the institution and
operation of the LACs in schools; making it a central activity in which school heads and teachers
participate together, with the iterative study of student performance the focus of problem assessment,
planning and action.

• Support regional DepEd in the design of in-service modules targeting in a sequenced, progressive
course of study regionally identified student difficulties in the Maths, Science and language
(comprehension) areas of the primary curriculum, including higher order thinking skills.

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 67

• Support the training of master teachers, school heads and subject supervisors in delivery of the
modules to target school staff (as shown by the Early Literacy and Numeracy Modules being delivered
through the LACs by DepEd).

• Reassess how BEST can work constructively with DepEd’s gender specialists and organisations such
as the Presidential Commission of Women, to have a real impact integrating gender considerations in
the education system.

• Reinstate plans to establish Demonstration Disability-Inclusive Education schools in NCR, Region 6

and Region 7, building on the successful work in Region 8.

• Focus more on boys and youth in teacher education, teacher development and teaching and learning
in schools. Address the low numbers of male teachers in the school system through promoting to
males teaching as a career option.

• Support the Philippine Government segue reformed secondary education into the technical-
vocational sector.

• Work with the Coalition of Change in exploring innovative partnerships for work experience
components of secondary education.

• Work with NGOs who have a long history of providing education services to marginalised peoples to
learn from their strategies and strengthen participation.

• Provide technical assistance to DepEd for delivering higher order skills in mathematics and science
through Junior High School and the Secondary curriculum.

• Support the development of monitoring teams to own and monitor targeted interventions in the
regions. Members should be from DepEd Central office, regions and divisions, comprising technical
leads in the key bureaus concerned with improving teaching and learning, and CLMD leads,
superintendents and head subject supervisors to track and review progress in the target schools,
identify successful strategies and practices, and pilot scale ups in other divisions.

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 68

Recommendation 5

Develop a clearing house for local innovative strategies, policies and practices at the school level.
(Medium priority)

The BEST design document has the school as the unit of measurement in terms of end of program
outcomes on improved student scores. A whole school orientation to learning improvement requires a
local strategy, policies and practices, rather than a cascade of parts down from the national level. This is
particularly so in the case of BEST, where the design specifies targeting schools with the aim of tracking,
in an experimental way, what it takes to move a school from poor to better performance and from good to
excellent. These local strategies, policies and practices could be captured in a similar way curriculum
content is captured, from the bottom up and shared nationwide through an information portal.

The innovation grant will be one way to generate innovative local projects that may lead to new local
policies and practices. This clearing house could be used to capture these innovations for sharing.

Implementation approach

• Undertake research into the local policies, practices and projects of schools to see the extent to which
they are innovative and can be shared.

• Work with the ICT group to develop a basic concept for the system design and evaluate the total cost
and capacity for DepEd to manage a new system.

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 69

Recommendation 6

Implement donor coordination and collaboration mechanisms to create more value from available
donor resources for DepEd. (Medium priority)

Other donors are requesting greater coordination to avoid duplication of effort and to ensure the best use of
funds across all ODA activities. Donors are pursuing their own coordination mechanisms. Some have
commented that it is difficult to coordinate with DepEd on technical assistance due to its internal structures. A
collaborative effort between donors could help support DepEd to provide better structures and greater
responsiveness.

DepEd receives donor contributions at various levels (local, divisional, regional and national) and from many
sources (e.g. UNICEF, PLAN, Save the Children, TAF, USAID, ADB). The degree to which the success of
many initiatives (e.g. ALS) is dependent on donor contributions as well as national policies is unclear.

There is also an opportunity for the donor community to work collectively on issues such as budget
execution. This is a priority of the current administration will assist all donors going forward.

Implementation approach

• Support DepEd to re-establish pre-existing donor coordination mechanisms (e.g. Education group
under the Philippine Development Forum (PDF) with DepEd/BEST providing secretariat services) and
establish an agreed meeting timetable and agenda that will encourage donor involvement.

• Support DepEd to implement its internal donor coordination and management mechanisms, including
documenting and mapping donor activities in relation to the BEST program and DepEd’s education
reform agenda.

• Cooperate with other donors and DepEd on points of common interest such as improving budget
execution (World Bank, ADB, UNICEF).

• Coordinate with UNICEF and ADB to leverage immediately from their technical assistance to develop
complementary interventions.

BEST Independent Progress Review – Evaluation Report Page 70