DepEd starts 6-week summer session for completion, enrichment and advancement
Published May 11, 2020, 2:43 PM
The summer classes for 2020 officially starts on Monday, May 11, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, in DepEd memorandum no. 51 series of 2020, explained that remedial, enrichment and advancement classes for summer 2020 starts May 11 and “shall end after the completion of the six-week period” that may include Saturdays.
“Schools may opt to shorten the conduct of remedial and advancement classes when the essential learning competencies have already been attained while the conduct of enrichment may be extended until the start of the School Year (SY) 2020-2021,” Briones said.
DepEd noted that it had issued earlier directives designating the week of March 16-20 as examination week in all DepEd schools for any remaining 4th quarter examinations.
In areas where classes have been suspended by the relevant national or local authorities for the said week, DepEd reiterated that the final examinations “shall no longer be administered” and that a grading formula for the computation of the final grade for the 4th quarter has already been provided. This was promoted by the declaration of a national health emergency and the imposition of quarantine restrictions.
However, for learners with learning gaps or subject area deficiency, DepEd’s memo states: “The remedial lessons can be made in the form of tutorial, mentoring, coaching or other ways of delivering organized learning experiences whichever is applicable in the context of the learner.”
Briones noted that existing DepEd policy allows for the use of combination of face-to-face, modular, or online learning as delivery modes of instruction depending on the learner’s profile.
However, since “physical classes are suspended in basic education” during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and General Community Quarantine (GCQ), DepEd noted that “distance learning modality shall be utilized, until there is a decision or regulation by the proper authorities permitting learners and teachers to leave their home for school purposes.” During the ECQ, all person below 21 years old were directed to remain in their residences at all times in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19.
DepEd issued guidelines to assist schools in determining the learning modality for remediation and enrichment classes that is “suited to the unique health situation/context of their community.” School heads were also allowed to decided on the specific details of such classes, subject to the approval of their respective schools division superintendents (SDS). The summer classes cover Grades 1 to Senior High School (SHS) learners.
As cited in the DepEd memo, “a learner who receives a grade lower than 75 in any subject must be given intervention through remediation and must pass the said remedial classes to be promoted to the next grade level.” Learners with failing marks in any learning area “may instead be required to attend make-up classes during the SY 2020-2021.”
Enrichment classes, on the other hand, may be offered to students for six weeks – particularly to those who “had a hard time focusing on their lessons in the previous school year, needed more time to understand concepts, and received low grades.” DepEd noted that learners who meet the criteria shall attend enrichment classes on voluntary basis.
DepEd also offers advancement classes for SHS learners who would like to pursue their work immersion prior to the start of SY 2020-2021 or would like to take advance subjects prior to SY 2020-2021 “so that more attention or focus shall be given to their work immersion in the succeeding semester.”
“Learners may only take advancement classes for three subjects within the six-week period and they shall do so on a voluntary basis,” DepEd said.
In delivering distance learning, DepEd reminded that modular learning in print or digital format shall be adopted using Self-Learning Modules (SLMs) or Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) self-instructional modules on competencies in subject area/s where the learner failed. “Schools shall consider the learner’s access to home-based internet before utilizing an online platform to deliver these SLMs,”Briones said.
“When learners and teachers are already permitted to leave their homes for school purposes, the face-to-face learning delivery shall be included in the options, subject to compliance with the minimum standards as will be issued by DepEd or other appropriate authority,” Briones said.
