School Monitoring, Evaluation, and Adjustment (SMEA) in Central Cebu, Philippines

Abstract

An evaluation of the implementation of the School Monitoring, Evaluation and Adjustment
(SMEA) System of the Department of Education (DepEd) was conducted to aid on the
improvement and upgrading of the system. A researcher-made instrument was utilized to
quantitatively analyze the implementation and interviews were conducted to identify the
challenges and struggles of its implementation. Also, a close look at the SMEA questionnaires
was done to identify the level of compliance with the established standards. The analysis showed
high levels of implementation, however, the qualitative analysis showed gaps in the validity and
reliability of results. The burden of too many indicators and the confusion by questions that are
hard to quantify in a single questionnaire were identified as the major problem. The need for
indicators, which consider the setting and context of each school, was identified as the primary
need. A sense of ownership of the indicators and commitment building were among the
recommendations. In addition, a systems approach of integrating established school systems
such as School Improvement Planning, Results-Based Performance Management System and
the Monitoring and Evaluation System was also suggested. The result of the study could
contribute to the management of schools, enhancement of policies and improvement of DepEd
systems.