Manila: The Department of Education (DepEd), in partnership with Special Olympics Pilipinas, convened education leaders from all 18 regions of the country for the National Training-of-Trainers on Inclusive Sports, a national effort to bring Unified Sports closer to schools and learners nationwide. Held at Baguio Teachers Camp from June 21 to 24, the training brought together around 500 DepEd leaders, including Education Support Services Division (ESSD) Chiefs, Regional and Division Special Needs Education Focals, Regional and Division MAPEH Focals, and key school sports and inclusion implementers.
According to Philippines News Agency, the training aims to strengthen DepEd leaders' capacity to plan, cascade, implement, monitor, and sustain Unified Sports in schools. Unified Sports brings together learners with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities as teammates, creating meaningful spaces for participation, friendship, leadership, and belonging. 'This training is not only about sports. It is about opening doors in schools so every learner can play, lead, belong, and grow,' Special Olympics Pilipinas said in a news release on Tuesday. 'Through the leadership of DepEd, Unified Sports can move from a national vision into school-based action.'
A major output of the training is the development of Division Action Plans. Each division worked on concrete plans covering three Key Result Areas: Professional Growth and Development, Implementation of Unified School Sports Clubs, and Assessment and Reporting. Through these action plans, DepEd leaders identified how they will train teachers, organize inclusive school sports clubs, engage learners with and without disabilities, support safe and meaningful participation, and monitor progress throughout the school year. The participation of ESSD Chiefs and Regional SNED and MAPEH Focals ensured that the plans were aligned with regional priorities, inclusive education goals, school sports programming, and learner support systems. Division SNED and MAPEH Focals worked together to make the plans practical, measurable, and ready for implementation in schools.
The National Training-of-Trainers is part of the broader commitment of DepEd and Special Olympics Pilipinas to expand inclusive sports opportunities nationwide. Special Olympics Pilipinas expressed its gratitude to the DepEd leaders, regional offices, division teams, coaches, teachers, and partners who continue to help build a more inclusive education system through sports. The training closes with a shared call to action: to turn plans into practice and ensure that Unified Sports happen in schools across the Philippines.
