BALANGA CITY, Bataan – Teachers and parents of pupils from 25 public elementary schools and two public high schools here started their two-day Education Summit on Saturday aimed at further improving not only the method of teaching, but also to inculcate responsible parenting as well.
A project of the city government and the City Division of Schools under the Department of Education, the summit is on its third year.
Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III said the program is part of the city government’s vision of turning Balanga into a “World Class University Town by 2020”.
“Subalit hindi mabibigyan ng magandang edukasyon ang ating mga anak kung hindi tayo magsasama-sama at magtutulungan,” he told parents and mentors.
He said he is optimistic that the system of education in Balanga will be comparable to that in Harvard, Oxford and Standford, well-known universities in the world.
“Sa lahat ng schools divisions sa buong Pilipinas, tayo lamang ang may ganitong adhikain at naniniwala akong kaya natin itong matamo,” the mayor said.
Garcia also added that although Balanga has some years more to attain its goal, public elementary and secondary schools in the city have already gained many national awards. “As champions, we will never stop to improve, we will never stop to learn,” he said.
As in the previous summit, a seminar-workshop for parents was held. Resource speakers stressed how important responsible parenting is in the education of children.
Mothers were told of having good relationship not only with their spouses but also to their extended families like in-laws.
“Being a father or mother is the hardest job in the world because there is no such vacation leave or sick leave 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to our children,” Garcia said.
Jessie Ferrer, assistant schools division superintendent, discussed the status of education while Dr. Hilario Garcia., city consultant on education, made the orientation on the University Town Education Council.
Joseph Jerome Sibonga and wife Judith Sibonga, academic coordinators for MFI Farm Business Institute, tackled the City of “Balanga Educhild” Program.
Garcia inducted the new set of officers of Homeroom Parents-Teachers Association, General School PTA and Federated PTA.
