EDUCATION Secretary Leonor Briones led the groundbreaking rites for the National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines—Cordillera Administrative Region extension building on her field visit in Benguet.

“Cordillera is continuing the tradition of being a center for inspiration, research, and looking into new things. We are very happy that the region is proactive in assisting our teachers with their professional development,” Briones said.

“All of these will be taking place in this facility, and I am very grateful to our Cordillera people. I am very grateful to the support of the local governments and especially the efforts of our regional directors,” she added.

The construction of the P32-million three-story building is part of the partnership of NEAP-CAR and NEAP-Baguio. It aims to  help the teachers and education leaders in their upskilling activities.

The NEAP Cordillera facilities shall also open its doors to Senior High School learners.

Aside from developing NEAP-handled facilities, NEAP-Baguio and NEAP-CAR shall collaborate for the sharing of facilities and resources towards the successful delivery of quality primary education in the new normal.

“Ito pong cooperation that we have with DepEd CAR and NEAP is part of a major reform that was directed by the Secretary as soon as she came into office,” Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said.

“We ask RD [Regional Director] Estela [Cariño] to institutionalize our cooperation between NEAP-Baguio Teachers Camp and NEAP-CAR to be able to share our facilities mutually, but it must be the exclusive benefit of the professional development of our teachers and school leaders,” Malaluan added.

The groundbreaking ceremony was also attended by other officials of the Department of Education.