By Gaby Alegre

Checkmyschool (CMS) marked the start of its fourth year – Checkmyschool 4S — with its annual training for chapter coordinators held September 30 to October 2 at Cloud 9 Resort and Hotel in Antipolo City, Philippines.

Thirty-three representatives from 16 cities and municipalities all over the country were trained so they could establish CMS chapters in their local areas.

Of the 16, half represent new areas for CMS: Antipolo City; Virac, Catanduanes; Baguio City; Guimaras; San Joaquin, Iloilo; Cagayan de Oro; General Santos City and Labangan, Zamboanga Sibugay.

The training aimed to sustain, systematize, strengthen and scale up the program’s local operations.

It sought to create a community of empowered citizens who can monitor schools, raise issues and constructively engage government in improving the education situation in various parts of the country.

This year’s training included sessions on education governance and social accountability, good governance practices of local governments and local offices of the Department of Education, multi-stakeholder engagement and network mapping and volunteer management.

Speakers were CMS Program Manager Jecel Censoro, ANSA-EAP executive director Redempto Parafina, Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) executive director Ms. Czarina Medina-Guce, CMS Business Development Consultant Kevin Dela Cruz and Jesuit Volunteers Philippines Foundation executive director Nix Hipolito.

Discussions on CMS processes, protocols and digital platforms followed, facilitated by members of the CMS secretariat — Learning and Knowledge Management Coordinator Paul Villanueva, Network Coordinator Karl Mikel Pregon, Communications Coordinator Gaby Alegre and Web Developer Emman Dimasacat.

Senior chapter coordinators attended supplemental sessions on documentation processes, presentation and public speaking, and social media for advocacy on October 3. These sessions were facilitated, respectively, by ANSA-EAP Learning Associate Christine Cruz, business facilitator Chet Montoro and social media practitioner Mark Delgado.