‘Let us pivot from access to quality,’ said Assistant Regional Director (ARD) Ronald B. Castillo.

From the time he sets foot at the Department of Education Regional Office I (DepEd RO1) in September last year, Castillo has been so passionate into bringing and making change in the educational landscape of the Region.

Castillo makes a lot of significant inputs to escalate the quality of education; he is a hands-on leader and administrator who gives salient suggestions and recommendations for the improvement of the learners.

He looks keenly into every detail and aligns every program, project, and activity of the different functional divisions of the regional as well as school’s division offices (SDO) for the attainment of quality education.

Castillo also supports and ensures the realization of the Sulong Edukalidad, the new direction of the DepEd. The DepEd RO I is indeed so lucky to have him joined the umbrella of the Region as he has been so vocal on the condition of education.

The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) result reveals that the Philippines is at the bottom among the participating countries on the assessment in Science, Mathematics, and Reading. The result runs parallel to the National Achievement Test (NAT) performance of the learners.

According to the ARD, Region 1 is contributory to the low performance of learners from the different SDOs that participated in the assessment.

 This issue has been brought to the attention of the Region, for all the DepEd personnel to get grasp on learners’ performance.

Castillo expressed that everyone should have knowledge about the assessment result; it is not just a problem of learners’ low achievement as everyone is a part and parcel of the result. ‘This is a shared responsibility,’ Castillo shared.

With his brilliant and creative viewpoints, Castillo takes a big stride to monitor all angles that would help alleviate the performance of the region in terms of learners’ achievement.

From the lens of a second highest position in the Region, his herculean support cajoles every member of the DepEd organization to unite with him as he leads one and all to the same quality education perspective.

By Leah L. Olua, EPS – PPRD