21/11/2025
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐จ-๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ข๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ซ ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ
Baguio City- In a meaningful two-day gathering that rekindled the heart of research in the basic education sector, particularly at the schools division office of Benguet, teachers, non-teaching personnel, school heads, supervisors, and technical working group members converged on November 20-21 at a venue in Baguio City to strengthen their skills, share findings, and reaffirm their commitment to learner-centered research despite research and innovation not being currently part of promotion criteria.
The event served as a reminder that for many dedicated basic education service providers, research is not a requirement, but a calling for the holistic development of learners.
The first day opened with a research capability building and orientation for the Schools Division Research Review Committee (SDRRC) and Technical Working Group (TWG) members, district heads, and school heads. The topics focused on the formats and guidelines for preparing basic and action research proposals as stipulated in various DepEd Orders and as provided in the Basic Education Research Agenda (BERA), as well as tools for appraising research proposals and completion reports.
For the participants, the activity became more than a technical orientation on the rudiments of basic education research. It served as a reaffirmation of their role as catalysts of change. The speaker, Ms. Crisanta Pantaleon, emphasized how research strengthens instructional decisions, sharpens school leadership practices, and fuels evidence-based solutions to everyday challenges in schools.
On the second day, the 5th Division Research Conference deviated from the long-standing tradition of conducting the division research conference. Instead of technical presentations following a format laden with technical and academic language; this yearโs conference embraced a โlaymanizedโ style; with the idea that the results should be presented in a manner which can be easily understood by the stakeholders, intended beneficiaries, and would- be adopters who are the school head and teacher- participants themselves. Focusing on, practical application, and actual insights from the stakeholders, the researchers shared how their studies have directly improved teaching and learning; from classroom strategies that increased student participation, to leadership interventions that nurtured safer, more supportive learning environments. They highlighted how research became a tool that motivated struggling learners, empowered teachers to try new approaches, and strengthened partnerships with parents and other stakeholders.
Education Program Supervisors namely Francis Peckley, Norbert Lartec, Merlyn Conchita de Guzman, Remy Dum-ao, and Jardson Onio, together with partner-SUC representatives, Dr. Apler Bansiong from Benguet State University and Dr. Jennifer Madonna Dait from Ifugao State University, and the regional research coordinator Crisanta Pantaleon, served as panel discussants; providing thoughtful insights and recommendations on how to optimize and sustain their research initiatives. They challenged the presenters to continue transforming their outputs into actionable insights, school-level innovations, and potential policy recommendations. Constructive feedback were also offered to help improve the packaging, clarity, and implementation of future research studies.
The success of the two-day event was made possible through the unwavering support and dedicated facilitation of the TWG members Rose Kayee Pecay, Elmerine Panagan, Rachel Basalong- Baliked, Efagenia Paing, Edgar Tomino, and Mark Aljon Valenciano. Their efforts were deeply impactful that it ensured that the activityโs objectives were fully realized.
The activity concluded with a moving message; that conducting research is not a burden. It is an investment in the future of every Ibenguet learner. That regardless of rank or promotion criteria, the heart of a teacher remains the same; always seeking to learn, to innovate, and to uplift every learner they serve.
And perhaps the most inspiring realization of all; research is not reserved for experts. It is an instrument for every teacher, every school head, every education leader who believes that even small changes, when informed by evidence, can transform lives.
