Navotas recently bagged the Seal of Good Education Governance from Synergeia Foundation for its outstanding efforts in providing quality education to its constituents.
Mayor John Rey Tiangco, together with Navotas Schools Division Superintendent Meliton Zurbano and Sanggunian Panlungsod Education Committee Chairperson Arnel Lupisan, received the award during the 12th National Education Summit at the PICC last week.
“We thank everyone–our teachers, parents, local school boards, school governing councils and all of our education stakeholders—for their unfailing support in providing quality and holistic learning to our youth,” Tiangco said.
“We hope this award will inspire us more to continue our commitment in giving our youth the best education they deserve,” he added.
During a panel discussion, Tiangco noted how education impacts efforts to solve social issues including proper waste disposal, traffic, crime, among others.
“Through education, we can teach our youth good values. We can inculcate in them how to value themselves, their family, and their community. And we hope that through this, they will grow up as responsible citizens who can help keep our communities clean, peaceful and progressive,” he said.
The mayor noted that the hardest challenge the education sector in Navotas faced was changing the people’s mindset about the importance of education.
“Instead of sending kids to school, some parents let their children work. They prioritize earning a living so they will have enough money for their daily sustenance. This is why the city government pushed for projects and programs that would address the immediate needs of every Navoteño family,” he said.
The mayor mentioned the city-sponsored feeding program to ensure that students will not go to school hungry. He also noted the scholarships that the city offers to students who excel in academics, sports, and arts.
As of now, the city has 595 scholars, including 293 athletic scholars, 291 academic scholars, and 11 art scholars. Of this number, 165 have graduated.
For the scholarship program, Tiangco said he tapped private institutions to help send deserving students to school.
“We want to push the idea that educating our youth is a shared responsibility. We are all accountable in creating a better future for the next generations of Navoteños,” he said.
Other programs of the city include Kindergarten on Wheels that offers free education to Navoteño children, ages 5 and above, who are not in school; provision of Balik Eskwela bags and school supplies; and Youth and Kids Ministry that promotes values formation for students; among others.