Tacloban City (October 5) -- The importance of school-based monitoring as a tool for enhancing mastery learning was the focus of the recently held Regional Collaboration Conference held at the Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Office 8 Regional Teachers Training Center.

Dr. Brenda Estoy, chief of the secondary education division of the Department of Education Regional Office 8 said that the Collaboration Conference was held on September 28 - 29, 2006 with no less than Director Yolanda S. Quijano of the Bureau of Elementary Education as the resource person.

Dr. Quijano who hails from Matalom, Leyte , stressed the importance of creating a monitoring and evaluation team in every District. This is the only way to insure that the school children are really getting the right education that will make them aspire for academic excellence.

In a short talk with PIA, Director Quijano said that the reason why participants in the Collaboration Conference are the Assistant Division Superintendents and the District Supervisors, is so that when they go back to their respective areas, they will be able to implement the same.

She observed that in areas where there are fewer students, there are more chances for the students to excel because the teacher is able to monitor and handle them well. Where there are so many students in a classroom, the teacher will have a hard time, especially is she is not that committed. This is where the monitoring team is needed-to see to it that the teacher is giving the right education to the pupils, Director Quijano said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Rebecca Ragrag, the Regional Information Officer and Education Supervisor batted for sector monitoring and evaluation as a means of tracking school performance and the implementation of DepEd programs and projects.