CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Department of Education (DepEd) Central Luzon emphasized that education will continue under a new normal set-up amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
DepEd Regional Director May Eclar cited various strategies and projects of schools and division offices to improve the quality of teaching and learning while ensuring the health and safety of the learners and teachers.
“Among the best practices of Schools Division Office (SDO) Aurora is the Trayk ni Mang MACS which helps provide ease in the distribution of modules to students in light of the current pandemic situation,” she said.
Under this project, each section has a designated tricycle driver tasked to deliver the modules to the students’ homes with a fare of PhP10 per student to help the drivers in their daily expenses.
In Bataan, Eclar mentioned the Project TeleBasa which is conducted once every quarter.
It aims to monitor the reading progress of the students, and to reach out to the learners in the barrio.
“SDO Bataan initiated the Project RESPONSE that gives premium on the role of parents, barangay officials and other stakeholders in pupils’ education. Also, the Project Radyo-Eskuwela over Radyo Magsaysay 99.3 FM: Sulong DinalupiHENYO uses radio-based instruction in the continuous delivery of quality, accessible and relevant education,” she stated.
She added that SDO Balanga City, in partnership with the city government and utilization of Special Education Fund, helped the students shift from printed modules to digital modules through the USB On-The-Go (OTG).
“This is an answer to the internet connection problems of the learners, and the issues and concerns on printed modules. USB-OTG is accessible, environment-friendly, and practical,” the regional director noted.
“Meanwhile, SDO Tarlac Province developed a television-based instruction project, dubbed as Project Shine: Aral TarlakHenyo, regularly aired from Mondays to Fridays at 8:30AM to 5:30PM,” she remarked.
On the other hand, the inked memorandum agreement between Amucao National High School and its stakeholders for the implementation of Modular Distance Learning, and the latter’s proposed Modular Distance Learning Handbook include SDO Tarlac City’s best practices.
“SDO Zambales implemented the Guided Learning Activity Kits with video lessons designed and developed to help the learners achieve the desired learning outcomes while SDO Olongapo City initiated a centralized repository of learning materials that can be accessed by teachers and learners through the QR code,” she said.
With these, Eclar assured the continuous delivery of quality education in Central Luzon through the joint effort of schools, division offices, local government units, non-government organizations and other individuals.