AFTER repeated assurances they are “on track” for the August 24 school opening for school year 2020-2021 that will be anchored on “blended learning,” the Department of Education (DepEd) announced Friday a decision to move the date to October 5.
“This morning [August 14], we received a memorandum from the Office of the President that the President has already made the decision in respect to the recommendation that I have submitted to him on August 6, in response to the implications of imposition of MECQ in Metro Manila and in the provinces of Cavite, Bulacan, Laguna and Rizal,” Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said at a hastily called online briefing.
Briones made the recommendation citing the “logistical limitations” faced by areas placed under MECQ and to fill in the “remaining gaps” of the school opening that they are currently addressing.
“Thus, we will implement such a decision to defer school opening to October 5, pursuant to Republic Act 11480. We shall use the deferment to provide relief to the logistical limitations faced by the areas placed under MECQ and to fill in the remaining gaps of the school opening that we are currently addressing,” she said.
The education chief said she is hopeful that the October 5 schedule is the “final adjustment” of the school opening.
“Even with the implementation of MECQ, we will use this time to make the necessary adjustments and ensure that all preparations have been made for the successful opening of classes for school year 2020-2021,” Briones vowed.
Briones said she has directed schools outside MECQ areas to continue their orientations, dry runs, and delivery of learning resources and be ready for the opening of classes, reiterating that there will be no face-to-face classes on October 5.
“Sessions will not be limited to online sessions alone. This is because we have adopted the policy of blended learning wherein various modalities are being recommended depending on the situation at the level of the region and of the school. Thus, we are now finalizing arrangements for TV programs, radio and also the much-favored modular system and printed materials and many other modalities,” she said.
Although the education chief admitted that the new schedule may have certain “implications on the school calendar of activities, Briones expressed confidence that they can overcome these with President Duterte’s support.
She, however, said class stimulations will continue along with the upskilling of teachers.
“Patuloy ang pagproseso ng mga learners for the new way or as I would say brave way for the brave normal which we are trying to create,” Briones said.
She also thanked the President, the Office of the Executive Secretary, the Senate and made special mention of Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go for their support.
On Thursday, the DepEd said a total of P9-billion funding was downloaded to schools division offices to ensure that the self-learning modules, which will be primarily used in a blended learning setup, are continuously being reproduced in the field offices.
From updated reports submitted to the Central Office, several offices shared that their printing of SLMs are ahead of their target schedules.
Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo assured that the production of modules have reached 60 percent to 80 percent for the first quarter.
Image credits: Nonoy Lacza
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