DepEd to revitalize high school journalism

By Lucia F. Broño

Sunday 20th of May 2012

QUEZON CITY, May 20 (PIA) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) will revitalize journalism in secondary education for the pilot implementation of the Special Program on Journalism (SPJ) and in line with the implementation of the K-12 Basic Education Program.

A training workshop for English and Journalism teachers will be conducted to hone and enrich their journalistic skills and competencies.

Education Secretary Br. Armin A. Luistro FSC said, “The move is in line with the spiral approach of K to 12, which follows a ladderized curriculum to prepare the students for higher learning. It aims to further hone the skills and competencies of campus journalists as well as strengthen free and responsible journalism in secondary schools.”

This year, the program will have its pilot implementation of journalism in television for fourth year high school students.
DepEd stressed that under SPJ, each year level will focus on a specific field of journalism.

DepEd recently issued Memorandum No. 79, s. 2012 which states that the training workshop will be held from May 28 to June 1 at Ecotech, Lahug in Cebu City. A total of 17 division supervisors, school heads, or head teachers in English, and one teacher each of Advanced English IV and Journalism IV of the 17 pilot schools have been directed to participate.

SPJ will be implemented in 17 selected secondary schools nationwide and is open to incoming first-year high school students who obtained an average of at least 88 percent in English and Filipino.

Meanwhile, Grade Six students are required a general average of 85 percent and above. They must also exhibit talent in journalism and must have passed a qualifying test and interview to be conducted by the school.

DepEd believes that a revitalized program in journalism in relation to K to 12 is one of the department’s responses to changing media landscape. The training will equip teachers with journalistic tools with which to train students interested in journalism as their future career. (LFB/RJB-PIA NCR/DepEd)