This was exclaimed by Dr. Nang Hseng Hom Pro-Rector (Admin) of the Yezin Agricultural University as she opened the Workshop on Developing a BS Agricultural Education Curriculum from 26 to 29 July 2016. The four-day workshop, jointly organized by SEARCA and YAU, is implemented as one of the projects under the Institutional Development Assistance Program of SEARCA.
According to Dr. Hom, while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing most of the “hardware” needed to develop the university, the strategic plan of YAU developed through the assistance of SEARCA provided the “software” for its development. In fact, this strategic plan served as an important document in crafting JICA’s five-year project at YAU.
Dr. Rowena dT Baconguis, Professor of the College of Public Affairs and Development, and Director of the Institute of Governance and Rural Development, University of the Philippines Los Baños, is facilitating the workshop being attended by 30 faculty members and graduate students of the University. They are joined by four staff from the Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Irrigation (MOALI).
“With Dr. Baconguis’ long history of experience in agricultural extension, we are confident that she can effectively help in the development of the agricultural extension n curriculum of the university,” stated Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma, Program Head of SEARCA’s Graduate Education and Institutional Development Department (GEIDD).
Following the Outcomes Based Education (OBE) approach in curriculum planning and development, this initiative aims to draft a specialization in agricultural extension for the University’s undergraduate curricular program in Agricultural Science. This workshop is the first of a series of activities to achieve this goal.