DepEd urged: Devolve functions

The Department of Education (DepEd) needs to transfer more decision-making and resources to schools and allow local governments to address delays and bottlenecks caused by its highly centralized system, education reform advocate and former DepEd Undersecretary Reynaldo Laguda said.

Laguda said the country adopted the principle of shared governance two decades ago under Republic Act 9155, but the education system still relies heavily on a central bureaucracy to serve about 48,000 public schools.

“When everything flows through the center, schools wait. Funds arrive late. Decisions are slow. And very little or no room for local innovation,” Laguda said.

He said decentralization should go beyond simply transferring functions from the DepEd central office to lower offices. It should give schools and local governments the authority, capacity and resources to make and implement decisions, while ensuring accountability and transparency.

Laguda outlined three channels for decentralization: deconcentration within DepEd, devolution to local government units (LGUs), and stronger partnerships with the private sector.

Spreading functions

Under deconcentration, authority would shift from the central office to regional and division offices, and ultimately to schools.

Devolution would involve sharing or transferring certain functions to LGUs, an approach Laguda said would require further discussion of the legal framework governing local governments and education.

He said the two approaches should be complemented by stronger public-private partnerships, particularly in areas where non-government organizations and private schools can help address education needs.

Laguda warned against treating decentralization as merely a transfer of authority. He proposed five elements that must move together: capacity, authority, resources, accountability and transparency.