TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite — The Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Department of Education (DepEd)-Calabarzon is set to convene on Sept. 24 to draft the localized Regional Child Protection Policy and Anti-Bullying Manual for all public and private schools in the region.
In a Regional Memorandum, DeptEd Region 4-A Director Dr. Diosdado M. Antonio said the technical working group, which will meet at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan at the DepEd regional office in Cainta, Rizal, is tasked to craft the manual using the customized approach that is applicable to the regional scenarios.
Antonio said the regional manual is in line with the DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, or the DepEd Child Protection Policy, which presents the policies and guidelines to protect children in school from abuse, violence, exploitation, discrimination, bullying and other forms of abuse.
As chair of the TWG, Antonio also set the meeting agenda, which include “background and objectives (of the activity), policy enrichment and strategic direction of the Child Protection Policy (CPC).”
The TWG meeting will also review DepEd orders and other governing laws and conduct its workshop session.
Before the actual workshop, TWG members will be briefed on the policy problems, workshop mechanism, and provide a venue for discussion of policy problems vs. implementation challenges.
The DepEd Calabarzon TWG is co-chaired by Dr. Carlito Rocafort and Jocelyn L. Martin.
Representatives from the Federation of Parents Teachers Associations, Private School Associations and Student Supreme Councils also form part of the TWG.
After the Sept 24 meeting, the TWG will be scheduling its future meeting activities on the presentation and finalization of workout outputs (Oct. 19), presentation of consolidated workshop outputs and another workshop on the implementation of roles and responsibilities (Oct. 31), crafting of the manual’s first draft (Nov. 14), review, validation and anticipated challenges and formulation of strategies for effective distribution (Nov. 20).
The TWG targets to finalize the draft manual on Nov. 28, while the signing of the actual policy manual is set on Dec. 3 this year. (Gladys Pino/PNA)