National journalists visit Southern Leyte

By REBECCA CADAVOS (PIA Southern Leyte)
November 28, 2006

MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte  –  At least (9) top journalists from the Philippines visited here to find out what the Department of Education (DepEd) has done to make the province being on the top of National Achievement Test (NAT), Dr. Violeta Alocilja revealed during the regular Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council meeting, Friday, November 24.

Dr. Alocilja, reported that among the journalists who came here for a visit were from the media outlets of Business Today, Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Chronicle, Radio Mindanao Network and the DepEd Post. "Southern Leyte was figuring prominently in the national dailies because we had achieved our real feat in education", the Schools Division Superintendent here said.

Southern Leyte garnered the grand slam spot being on the top from the elementary level, secondary level and even in the Special Education (SPED), those children with special needs who have the right to education. One in Sogod town which ranked number 1 and another one in the municipality of San Juan Central School which ranked number 7 all over the country, Alocilja emphasized on SPED schools.

The Division of Southern Leyte is the only division who has gone beyond 75% in the elementary level with 80.81%, while in the secondary level, Tomas Oppus figured prominently out of the 23 high schools who made it to the top ten. For first year high school, Southern Leyte made 8 to the top out of 48 including Maasin City, while in fourth year, five schools made to the top ten, nationwide, Alocilja disclosed during the PDCC meeting presided over by Provincial Administrator Genis Murallos.

Dr. Alocilja said that there’s no other division in the entire history of education has gotten the said achievement. "It is really a history in the making", she noted. The mediamen interviewed parents, students and teachers for their documentation.