For now, students will have to learn from home.
This as the Department of Education (DepEd) announced that face-to-face classes would have to take a back seat until a vaccine against the infectious COVID-19 is available.
In an official statement on Monday, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said that the education department will comply with the directive of President Duterte to shelve face-to-face classes to ensure the safety of students in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Admitting that preparing schools in a different setup is a “challenging task” for the education department, Sec. Briones said that “we are committed to our duty to make education available and thriving, even in the most difficult time.”
She added that “we assure our parents, learners, stakeholders, and the President that we are preparing ourselves for this mission.”
Briones who thanked President Duterte for supporting DepEd’s endeavors, said her office is fully engaged in readying operations based on the Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP), from the Central Office down to the school level.
“We are updating our policies, realigning our finances, and collaborating with our partners so that our goals of providing quality education and protecting the safety and health of our constituents will be achieved,” the statement read.
Remote enrollment which is done nationwide through phone and online continues in order to assess the household information of students. Enrollment period for the school year 2020-2021 has started on June 1 and will end on June 30.
Meanwhile, the groundwork for blended learning is well underway. Radio, television, online and modular learning – which are pre-existing methods and were already used for decades – are being prepared and updated for this year, according to Sec. Briones.
With this new set-up, teachers will also undergo training on using newer platforms and tools to aid their professional development.
DepEd is working with the private sector and education experts to make these necessary steps logistically sound, especially on the development, acquisition, and deployment of learning resources, Briones said.
She said that DepEd will also provide regular readiness assessment reports to the public as it has committed to Congress.