DUNONG Program Integrates TEACH-OA to Combat Learning Poverty through Agriculture and Education

[by Christine Joy B. Manalo]

In response to the escalating learning crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) launched the DUNONG Program—DepEd Laguna and UPLB Nurturing Opportunities for the Next Generation Towards Ending Learning Poverty in the Philippines. This initiative aims to address foundational gaps in education by integrating reading enhancement, nutrition, and agriculture for Grades 4 to 6 public elementary students in 12 pilot schools across the municipalities of Los Baños, Bay, Nagcarlan, and Santa Cruz in Laguna.

On April 3, 2025, the initial accomplishments of the program were showcased during the DUNONG Partners’ Night, held at the UP Bahay ng Alumni in UP Diliman, Quezon City. The event brought together key stakeholders and partners of the DUNONG Program and was graced by DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, UP President Angelo A. Jimenez, EDCOM II Director Karol Mark Yee, and officials from UP, the DepEd Central Office and DepEd Laguna, as well as representatives from public and private institutions.

One of the program’s flagship components is TEACH-OA (Teachers’ Capability-Building on Organic Agriculture), implemented by the Agricultural Systems Institute of the College of Agriculture and Food Science (ASI-CAFS) at UPLB. This initiative addresses the pressing need for teachers to acquire the TESDA National Certificate II (NC II) in Organic Agriculture Production, a requirement for teaching agriculture-related subjects under the K–12 curriculum. Without this certification, educators are not authorized to handle agriculture classes. TEACH-OA directly supports the delivery of Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (EPP), Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE), and the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL) track, particularly in the specialized field of organic agriculture.

TEACH-OA successfully trained 54 teachers from elementary and senior high schools in Nagcarlan, Sta. Cruz, Bay, and Los Baños. The training covered six specialized modules on key topics such as organic crop production, soil amendments, pest and disease management, and strategies for teaching agricultural science. All participants underwent TESDA NC II certification, resulting in a 100% pass rate and the qualification of 47 new certified teachers, significantly strengthening DepEd’s pool of competent agriculture educators.

Additionally, the trainees developed 45 lesson plans that integrate organic agriculture concepts into science, mathematics, and livelihood education. They also crafted 20 action plans to enhance and sustain school gardens—now serving as both dynamic learning environments and vital food sources for school-based feeding programs.

Follow-up activities have shown remarkable progress. For instance, Sta. Cruz Integrated National High School institutionalized Organic Agriculture in its senior high school curriculum, while other schools maintained productive gardens cultivating vegetables, cereals, compost, and poultry. These gardens now function as critical food sources and hands-on learning sites. Notably, Grade 12 students from Sta. Cruz Integrated NHS earned 3rd Place at the Provincial Organic Agriculture Summit, highlighting the success of the school-based, experiential learning approach of TEACH-OA.

Moving forward, the TEACH-OA Team will conduct a series of follow-up activities in the remaining pilot schools. These efforts aim to assess the impact of the training on various levels—particularly in terms of teachers’ competencies, the institutionalization of organic agriculture in school programs, and student learning outcomes and engagement in agriculture-related subjects. The team will evaluate how the training has been translated into classroom instruction, how school gardens have evolved or been sustained, and how these interventions have benefited students.

 

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