To make sure that no child is left behind when it comes to education amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) would seek the help of local government units (LGUs) in the distribution of self-learning materials for schoolchildren who can’t afford to buy a gadget.
“Ito [new education set-up] ay hindi kaya ng DepEd kung DepEd lang ang gagalaw [This can’t be done by DepEd only and DepEd alone],” Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio said during the Department of Health Beat Covid televised press conference.
San Antonio was specifically appealing for help in the distribution of printed learning modules, one of adaptive learning methods, for the learners who don’t have any gadget or internet connection.
He said that based on their study, there are about 1/4 or less of the Filipinos nationwide don’t have internet or gadget.
“Bayanihan po talaga. Ang mga Pilipino pag nagtulong-tulong walang impossible [We really need to have the Bayanihan spirit. Nothing is impossible if Filipinos will work together],” the DepEd official said.
He expressed belief that the local officials including those from barangay will not disappoint the department.
“I worked as a teacher after I graduated. I also became a principal before so, I know how helpful the mayors, vice-mayors and barangay officials are, ” he said adding that teachers and school officials are also committed to students and their learning.
“In fact, we received reports that the Sangguniang Kabataan have already expressed their support to help in the distribution, ” he said.
San Antonio reiterated that if face-to-face will not be allowed, delivery of education is not mainly focused on online education, but there are other options like modular, blended, or through radio and television can also be considered.
If face-to-face classes would be allowed in areas without Covid-19 cases, safe physical distancing measures will be strictly followed.
Survey
“How far must we go? “
This was the question of Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones after some sectors objected to the opening of classes on August 24.
In a recent interview with BusinessMirror, Briones said that the decision to open the classes by August was based on their consultations and survey.
“We conducted a survey and around 700,000 people have answered it. We also made consultations with with our partners like experts, advisers in the business sector [and reached the decision],” Briones said.
“We cannot be consulting one million people individually,” Briones said stressing that their survey, by far, has the most number of respondents compared to the surveys conducted by the Social Weather Stations and even the National Economic and Development Authority.
“Why is it that when it comes to SWS survey, with only 1,000 respondents, it is already considered as majority’s opinion? But us, we surveyed 700,000 people already and yet they won’t believe it?” Briones asked.
She said that they are just following the law that school opening should be between first day of June and last day of August.
“Or else, we will violate the law [if classes won’t begin on August 24] and we can’t do that, ” she pointed out.
Earlier, Briones said that most of those who answered their survey, which was released on April 18, preferred the month of August.
Similar results emerged from their consultations with other stakeholders.
She, however, said that the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF- EID) will also play a big role in their final decision.
She said the survey includes different questions including the positions of respondents on having children physically returning to school and using online platforms for teaching.
Image credits: AP/Ahn Young-joon
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