The Department of Education (DepEd) has announced that self-learning modules (SLMs) will be primarily used in a blended learning set-up for the new school year.
With P9-billion funding provided to schools division offices, the DepEd noted SLMs are continuously being reproduced in field offices. From reports submitted to the Central Office, the DepEd said several offices have reported the printing of SLMs are ahead of target schedules.
“Ang mga modules po ay ongoing ang production, according to the regional directors. Most of them ay nasa 60% to 80% complete for the first quarter and by August 24 ay maidi-distribute na ito sa mga schools,” DepEd undersecretary Revsee Escobedo said in a statement.
In addition, the agency will upload the initial learning materials in its online learning platform, the DepEd Commons, to allow teachers and school principals to access the SLMs before the opening of classes.
Meanwhile, DepEd secretary Leonor Briones said the agency will consider for those areas that were put under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ), including NCR and Region IV-A, in terms of their timeline of preparations.
As DepEd braces for the crucial two weeks before the opening, Briones cited the efforts of the teachers and school personnel for their efforts in ensuring that education will continue amidst the pandemic.
“May mga nagsabing hindi kaya ng DepEd ‘yan, pero ilang daang taon nang kinayanan ng DepEd at ng ating mga teacher [learning delivery during crisis],” she said.
The DepEd launched on Monday, Aug. 10, a readiness program that featured 10 schools from various regions with diverse circumstances, which conducted distance learning.
“If you see an island, if you see a medium-sized urban place or if you see a municipality [that is demonstrating how a learning modality will go about in their schools], then you can see that this blended learning is being applied in many different types of situation,” Briones said during a press conference.
Briones reiterated that no change will happen on the school calendar for this year as classes in basic education for School Year 2020-2021 will open as scheduled on August 24.
“Ang pagbubukas ng eskuwelahan ay August 24. Ito ay [gagamit] ng blended learning. Walang face-to-face. At sa mga lugar na may risk assessment galing sa IATF, susundin natin ‘yong kanilang mga patakaran. As of now, 22.9 million na ang nagpapa-enroll na nagsasabi na handa silang pumasok by August 24 so bigyan natin ng suporta ang programang ito,” Briones noted.
DepEd undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio stressed that unlike the traditional school openings, the first week of SY 2020-2021 (August 24-28) will focus on the orientation of psycho-social first aid, and different distance learning delivery modalities, including the roles of school heads, teachers, and parents/learning support aides.
