In-person classes remain the ‘best option’ for basic education: DepED

by Merlina Hernando-Malipot, Manila Bulletin

Citing the “undisputable fact” that in-person learning remains the best option for basic education based on studies, the Department of Education (DepED) is all set for the return to full face-to-face in all public schools starting next month.

Face-to-face classes at the Lakan Dula Elementary School in Tondo, Manila (ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN)

Issuing a statement on Monday, Oct. 17, DepED maintained its confidence in the benefits of holding face-to-face classes to “promote academic development and the overall mental health and well-being of our learners.”

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As planned before this year’s school opening, DepED said that all public schools nationwide will implement five days of in-person classes starting Nov. 2, 2022.

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When classes for School Year (SY) 2022-2023 started on Aug. 22, DepED allowed both public and private schools that offer basic education to implement multiple learning delivery modalities which include five days of face-to-face classes, blended learning, and full distance learning.

However, the prescribed modalities will only be implemented until Oct. 31.

While it recognizes the benefits of face-to-face classes in basic education, DepEd on Monday, Oct. 17, issued an Amendatory DepEd Order to DO 34, s. 2022 or the School Calendar and Activities For School Year 2022-2023 which allows private schools to offer blended learning modality and full distance learning options to their students.

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“DepEd is cognizant of the current situation of the private sector due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic — the amount of investment in online learning technologies, the development and institutionalization of best practices on blended learning, and the unfortunate closure of small private schools because of losses,” the agency said.

Following its decision, DepED said that it will leave the discussion on the learning modality to be implemented by private education institutions to the schools, the parents or guardians, and the learners.

Meanwhile, DepED expressed hope that parents or guardians of private school learners “would not miss the abundance of scientific studies available on the advantages of in-person classes over online learning.”

DepED added that it will also “expedite the review” of the blended learning program to ensure that it will “benefit our learners and essentially address learning issues.”

Aside from private schools, DepED said that public schools that “expressly granted exemptions” by the Regional Director concerned and schools with canceled classes because of disasters and calamities may also be allowed to continue the implementation of blended and distance learning.

First 100 Days: VP Duterte cites return of in-person classes as her biggest achievement

by Raymund Antonio, Manila Bulletin

Vice President and Education chief Sara Duterte considers the resumption of in-person classes in the present school year the biggest accomplishment of her office, citing the benefits of face-to-face classes to students.

Vice President Sara Duterte (Photo from Inday Sara Duterte Facebook page)

She said this as her office prepares the report for her 100 days as vice president and Education secretary.

“Ang pinakamahalaga na masasabi ko na nagawa natin (The most important that I can say we did) as a country is naibalik natin iyong ating (we were able to bring back the) in-person classes sa ating mga eskwelahan (in our schools),” she said during an interview at an event where she and the Qatar Embassy in Manila distributed FIFA bags to daycare children in Mandaluyong City.

The Vice President cited studies that showed the “many benefits” of in-person classes to students.

“Kaya napakahalaga na naibalik natin ang (That’s why it’s very important that we were able to return the) option na iyon sa ating mga eskwelahan na mag-conduct ng (that our schools conduct) 5-days in person classes,” Duterte added.

Filipino students returned to school on Aug. 22 after more than two years of online classes due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Though it is not until November that the government mandates students to return to in-person classes, it was earlier said that schools and teachers should use September and October for the transition.

READ: DepEd chief VP Sara eyes full face-to-face classes by November—Marcos

The Vice President earlier underscored the benefits of face-to-face classes, noting also the measures—vaccines, face masks, and medicines—now available.

Over 34,000 schools nominated for face-to-face classes — DepEd

(Photo courtesy of DepEd)

by Merlina Hernando-Malipot, Manila Bulletin

More than 34,000 schools have been nominated to implement face-to-face classes, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday, May 30, announced.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones, during the Laging Handa public briefing, said that as of May 26, 34,238 schools have been nominated for face-to-face classes nationwide.

“Out of these 34,238 schools, 33,000 are public schools and 1,174 are private schools,” Briones said.

 

Briones noted that to date, 73.28 percent of the total number of public schools across the country have been nominated to hold face-to-face classes amid the pandemic.

“Basta may clearance galing sa Department of Health, at saka sa tingin namin ay pumapayag naman ang mga local governments at saka may consent ng mga parents ay talagang tinutuloy na natin ang face-to-face classes (As long as there is clearance from the Department of Health, and if we think that the local governments agree and then with the consent of the parents, we will continue the face-to-face classes),” Briones said.

Meanwhile, Briones noted that DepEd is expecting all schools to fully implement the conduct of face-to-face by the next academic year.

However, Briones clarified that the implementation of face-to-face classes would still depend on the overall readiness of the schools.

Briones said that schools may have various formats when it comes to implementing face-to-face classes. Some, she said, are ready in terms of teachers and other resources while others may need “catching up to do.”

Given this, Briones said DepEd officials at the regional level “have to decide what approach to use” when it comes to face-to-face classes since “they know the situation best.”

Briones also emphasized that DepEd’s approach when it comes to the implementation of face-to-face classes would greatly depend on the schools, the LGUs, the state of health in the area, and on assessment of DOH.

“Pero sa ngayon, ine-encourage din ng DOH na talagang tulyan na nating gawin ang face-to-face classes (But for now, the DOH is also encouraging us to really continue doing face-to-face classes),” Briones, said, noting that DepEd is also encouraging private schools to go back to in-person learning.

P977.48 M allotted for progressive expansion of face-to-face classes — DepEd

by Merlina Hernando-Malipot, Manila Bulletin

The Department of Education (DepEd) has approved the allocation of funding to help ensure that participating schools in the progressive expansion of face-to-face classes would be able to respond to emerging needs.

During the Laging Handa briefing on Wednesday, March 2, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said that DepEd will be spending close to P1 billion to “strengthen the progressive expansion for the schools.”

In the same briefing, DepEd Undersecretary for Finance Annalyn Sevilla said that DepEd has already met with the concerned regional directors to discuss the funds that might be needed in preparation for the implementation of progressive face-to-face classes in their respective areas.

 

“Marami po sa mga pondo na atin pong pinaghahandaan ay iyong pong physical arrangements ng eskuwelahan – iyon pong protection and safety ng mga learners at mga guro at siyempre po iyong mga learning resources na kailangan natin. (Part of the funds we are preparing is for the physical arrangements of the school to ensure the protection and safety of learners and teachers and of course, for the learning resources that we need),” Sevilla said.

Based on the data obtained by Manila Bulletin provided by Sevilla, a total of P977,477,000 was allotted for participating schools under the school Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).

Of this amount, P531.36 million will be allocated to elementary schools (Kinder to Grade 6); P303.63 million will be given to Junior High School (Grade 7 to Grade 10); and P142.49 million for Senior High School (Grade 11 to Grade 12).

DepEd said that these amounts are to be downloaded or to be released to the Regional Offices.

“The Regional Directors are authorized to allocate the said amounts among schools considering the implementation status of face-to-face classes in their respective regions,” DepEd said.

DepEd noted 4.24 percent or P41.48 million of the total available funds “shall be retained in the Central Office as a contingency fund.”

Meanwhile, DepEd clarified that the use of the said funds shall also be subject to existing budgeting, accounting, auditing, and procurement rules and regulations.

Thus, in “no case shall these funds be used” for procurement of tangible items beyond the capitalization threshold; hiring of contractual or casual employees, whose salaries and other compensation benefits should be charged against Personnel Services allocations; and payment of other Capital Outlay items such as infrastructure projects.

DepEd said that its Budget Division is preparing the Sub-Allotment Release Order (AROs) to be downloaded to the respective Regional Offices. The target date of downloading to Regions is on March 4.

Five schools in DdO re-opens limited face-to-face classes

After almost two years, the Department of Education officially re-opens limited face-to-face classes in selected schools in the country.

 

Covid-19 pandemic brought major uncertainties in schools. The rapid transition of most instruction to online platforms affects the academic achievement of students in varying educational levels, and now that DepEd resumes the face-to-face classes, learning gaps can now be remediated in the four corners of every classroom.

 

Among one hundred (100) schools approved by the joint memorandum of the Department of Education and the Department of Health, eight (8) schools were approved by the authorities to resume limited face-to-face class in Region XI, and five (5) of which are from Davao de Oro, a manifestation that the province is prepared for the implementation of the face-to-face mode of learning, somehow easing the agony of students in the last two years.

 

Bariz Elementary School (Pagsabangan Extension), Parasan Integrated School, Lower Panansalan Elementary School (Jacinto Extension), Maugat Elementary School, and Digaynon Elementary School (Manurigao Extension) were the schools in the province approved for the re-opening of the limited face-to-face class, all of which were from far-flung areas where there is little risk for covid-19 infection.

 

Just in time for the pilot implementation of the limited face-to-face class, the “Bayanihan Para sa Karunungan” program or BPSK of Davao de Oro, officially turned over the “iDdO Read” modules, a reading remedial instruction for elementary learners that aims to amplify reading exercises and fulfill the educational gaps in primary levels. The creation of the workbooks was made easy through the strong collaboration of PLGU-DdO’s BPSK Program with the Department of Education Davao de Oro.

 

Further, BPSK also introduced volunteer teachers for the five schools that will aid on-site DepEd teachers on the delivery of instruction and implementation of the “iDdO Read” workbooks. DepEd Davao de Oro also distributed tablets for every student, while the Kusina ng Kalinga (KnK) of DdO also gave milk feeding supplies.

 

The limited face-to-face class is complementary to the modular modality which is used since the outbreak of the virus. The five schools will still undergo alternate learning schedules for students and will follow the recommended health protocols set by the Department of Health. (JA, Information Division, Davao de Oro, photo by J. Cadiz)

Duterte approves Sept. 13 as new school opening

 

(Photo was taken before pandemic.)

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved Sept. 13, 2021 as the opening date for the school year 2021-2022.

The Department of Education (DepEd) posted this announcement on its website on Friday, July 16, 2021, stating that Duterte has approved the date among the options recommended by DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones.

DepEd previously proposed the following dates: Aug. 23, 2021, Sept. 6, or Sept. 13.

“The school calendar for SY 2021-2022 will be released soon. We hope for our stakeholders’ continued cooperation and support as we prepare for another challenging yet worthwhile endeavor of educating our children amid a global health crisis,” DepEd said.

DepEd has not provided details on the mode of instruction, whether it will be hybrid learning where some students attend classes in-person while others join virtually from home, or fully in-person classes.

Face-to-face classes have been suspended since mid-March 2020.

For weeks now, the Department of Health (DOH) and its child health experts have been discussing with DepEd plans to pilot limited face-to-face classes.

Last month, Duterte decided to postpone the implementation of limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas, and that enhanced blended learning will continue.

“Our utmost priority is the safety of our 27 million learners and more than 840,000 teachers and we will defer to the professional assessment of the Department of Health (DOH), the IATF, and the wisdom of the President in ensuring their protection,” said DepEd in a separate official statement posted on June 22, 2021.

Face-to-face classes are not allowed and only distance learning modalities should be carried out in private schools and non-DepEd public schools, according to the agency.

Private schools and non-DepEd public schools can also start their classes for the school year 2021-2022 ahead of the general school opening after the submission of documents to DepEd related to readiness assessment. (NRC)

PH braces for another school year under distance learning

by Merlina Hernando-Malipot

Manila Bulletin

After President Duterte once again thumbed down proposals to implement limited face-to-face classes amid the pandemic, a group of teachers urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to start preparing the education system for another school year under distance or blended learning.

Some teachers hold online classes under distance learning. (MARK BALMORES / MANILA BULLETIN)

The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), a 30,000 strong-group, on Tuesday, June 22, said that the DepEd should be able to identify by now the challenges under distance learning which is being implemented this school year.

“With the President, again rejecting limited face-to-face class proposals from DepEd, it is now clear that the same learning system will be used in the entire country for school year 2021-2022,” TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas said.

Duterte, during his pre-recorded televised address on Monday night, once again rejected the proposal of DepEd to implement limited face-to-face classes in low risk areas. Education Secretary Leonor Briones, as a response, has withdrawn the request of DepEd.

This is not the first time that Duterte rejected calls for the pilot testing of limited face-to-face classes at the basic education level. In December, DepEd formally sought the approval of the President for the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes which was supposed to start in January 2021.

While the President initially agreed, he recalled his decision with the detection of new COVID-19 variant in the country. In February, the proposed pilot implementation of face-to-face classes was once again brought up the proposal to the President, however, it was also rejected.

Given the latest pronouncement of the President of not allowing face-to-face classes, TDC said that DepEd is likely to adopt distance learning as part of its Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).

Under the BE-LCP, students learn their lessons at home through the use of multiple learning delivery modalities such as modular (printed and offline), online learning, television and radio-based instruction, and blended learning or a combination of two or more alternative delivery modes.

However, TDC expressed concern that the teachers, learners and parents will once again experience the challenges they have experienced under distance learning this school year.

“And thus, the same problems of inaccessibility of children to online platforms, non-provision of gadgets for our teachers, lack of self-learning modules or its erroneous content and inability of many parents to facilitate the learning may again be encountered,” Basas said.

Given this, TDC called on the leadership of DepEd to “prepare the system and learn from the lessons of the current school year before declaring the start of another.”