DepEd taps LGUs for learning continuity initiatives

Published June 16, 2020, 2:56 PM

In an effort to ensure a smooth opening of classes this coming school year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) has tapped the support of local government units (LGUs) in its learning continuity initiatives.

After the televised address of President Duterte aired late Monday night, Education Secretary Leonor Briones shared that DepEd has met with LGUs to seek their support and discuss how schools can work with them in the implementation of its Basic Education – Learning Continuity Plan (BE- LCP).

With the approval and consent of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año, Briones said that DepEd met with 10 associations or leagues of our local governments in the Philippines – including league of provinces, league of cities, league of municipalities, liga ng barangay, league of vice governors, board members, among others – to answer their members’ concerns on enrollment process and other school opening related concerns.

“LGU support has been coming in and every day, we get messages of support from local government units because we have been aggressively informing them of what our Learning Continuity Program is about,” she added.

Briones said that DepEd assured LGUs that there will be no face-to-face classes or enrollment until deemed safe by authorities.

Learning to continue

Meanwhile, Briones explained that as early as several months ago, DepEd has already consulted nearly 800,000 respondents as to what is the appropriate date and what they would prefer for school opening. “August consistently came out because it’s the closest to what the law says,” she said. “So right now, we have a roadmap which we started [in] May and [this] June, [we are doing] remote enrollment,” she added.

During the meeting, Briones also discussed with the President blended learning and curriculum and how the agency intends to implement it through an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) platform and others. “We’ve been saying that if online is not applicable, they can use cellphones,” she said.

Briones also reiterated the use of television to deliver education. “The other, which is attracting a lot of attention from other countries, is the use of television,” she explained. “Right now, there are many programs already on television because the law requires that 15% of airtime for television should be devoted for children so we will utilize this,” she said.

In the absence of online, Internet, or cellphones, TV and radio, Briones said that DepEd is preparing to print the learning materials. “We are also producing learning modules, but the children should not be going out to get the learning modules,” she added.

In cases where printed materials need to be delivered to the homes of learners who do not have access to any form of technology at all, Briones underscored the important role of the LGUs – especially the barangays. “We are going to work very closely with the local government because we might put up kiosks in the offices of the barangays where we can deposit the learning modules,” she explained. “These will be picked up by parents or one member of the family member allowed to go out,” she added.

Support from LGUs

As a member agency of the Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) program of the DepEd, Año expressed the full support of DILG to the DepEd particularly in its reconfigured “Brigada Eskwela” (BE) and OBE as the country continues to fight COVID-19.

Año said that the DILG pledges its “complete cooperation to ensure that these will be implemented down to the grassroots level.”

“I encourage all LGUs to be more creative in assisting schools and students as they immerse in a new learning environment while I commend those local chief executives, who, as early as now, have committed to provide assistance such as laptops and printed materials, among others,” he added.

SOURCE: https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/06/16/deped-taps-lgus-for-learning-continuity-initiatives/