National Students’ Day 2022 highlights role of youth in shaping ‘better society’

By John Noel E. Herrera 

The celebration of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) National Students’ Day (NSD) this year highlights the important role of youth in shaping a better society.

Anchored on the theme, “Ikaw, Ako, Tayo, Bahagi ng Proseso at Boses ng Pagbabago”, DepEd said that it recognized the contribution of all the students to their active participation in society and the development of the country.

“We believe in the significant contributions of our learners, of our students, so therefore, with the theme Ikaw, Ako, Tayo, Bahagi ng Proseso at Boses ng Pagbabago, we acknowledge that you are all integral to the development of our country. Kailangan natin kayo, namin kayo, kailangan kayo ng bayan,” DepEd Assistant Secretary for Youth Affairs and Special Concerns Dr. Dexter Galban said during the program on Thursday, Nov 17, 2022 at Iloilo Convention Center, Iloilo City.

Galban added that DepEd continues to explore more programs and collaborations to empower and capacitate all the students through its systematic pillars, such as leadership, good governance, and civic engagement; health and well-being pillars like campaigns against illegal drugs, mental health advocacy, and teenage pregnancy prevention; climate action, agriculture, and environmental protection; innovation and entrepreneurship; culture, arts, and gender inclusion.

Meanwhile, DepEd-6 Regional Director Dr. Ramir Uytico said that this year’s NSD celebration hosted by the regional office and DepEd-Iloilo City is an opportunity to address the needs of students for better education and to highlight DepEd-6’s achievement in innovative education.

“This is where we empower all our children to become champions. This is where we take special concerns of our ALS (Alternative Learning System) learners, learners with special needs, and learners that come from indigenous communities. Here in Region 6, we have initiated flagship programs to support basic education reforms and fuel the production of champion educators and learners,” Uytico added.

One of the flagship programs that DepEd-6 initiated is the establishment of the “first in the country, DepEd-operated farm schools”, which offers an agricultural curriculum program that equips learners with certifiable skills to answer the nation’s agenda on food security.

Galban added that the celebration serves as an avenue for students to showcase their skills and talents, as some of the students from different schools in Iloilo offered different song and dance performances to give color and energy to the program.

Galban also shared that during the recent Philippine Youth Convergence where they were able to craft the first Philippine Youth Education Agenda, a survey showed that most of the students were interested in some “thematic pillars like leadership and civic engagement, improving quality and access to education, and improving the environment.”

“Hearing these things from students, makes it clear that there is a lot that needs to be done, however, we believe that these common thoughts and feedbacks that you were able to provide are essential for us to craft better policies, make better programs, and provide better education for all of us through our environment and curriculum so that the education quality in the Philippines would be improved, there would be better access, and everyone will feel more empowered,” Galban added.

He emphasized that DepEd will continue to support the students and give them the needed education and assistance “that you need in order to better yourselves.”

“These are just some of our efforts that we are pushing for and continue to undertake to provide an avenue for you to excel beyond the four walls of the classrooms, and what we want is to help you get ready for the future that is ahead of you,” he said.