12/12/2025
Benchmarking for Innovation, Learning Autonomy, and Global Collaboration
Educators from Samar National School (Dr. Floretes, Ms. Gayoso & Mr. Locion) and education leaders from SDO Catbalogan City (Dr. Ruedas and Atty. Tibre) engaged in a series of international benchmarking activities in Japan, aimed at strengthening research culture, innovation, and learner-centered practices in basic education.
Our benchmarking began with a visit to the Leave a Nest Japan Headquarters, where we were formally oriented on their mission of advancing science, technology, and education through collaboration among schools, researchers, and industry partners.
We then proceeded to the Center of Garage, an innovation hub in Japan that works closely with Leave a Nest to support research incubation, problem-solving, and science-driven entrepreneurship. The Center serves as a space where ideas are transformed into viable solutions through mentorship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and real-world application. Notably, Samar National School is the first public high school in the Philippines to conduct benchmarking at the Center of Garage, marking a milestone in international engagement.
This partnership was symbolically sealed as we placed our school logo on the Center’s wall—joining a community of institutions committed to innovation and research excellence.
The benchmarking concluded with a visit to Yokohama Soeie Junior & Senior High School, where the Vice Principal led an in-depth discussion on fostering learner autonomy. We observed classrooms implementing independent learning and Project-Based Learning (PBL), highlighting how structured freedom, trust, and inquiry-based approaches empower students to take ownership of their learning.
These experiences reinforce our commitment to data-driven leadership, global benchmarking, and continuous improvement, as we translate international best practices into meaningful, localized reforms for Philippine basic education.