With the Department of Education (DepEd) reporting dismal enrollment figures for the upcoming school year, House Minority Leader Benny Abante Jr. aired his sentiments on viable options the agency can adopt to allow the country’s students to continue with their education this August.
Abante acknowledged that “the fears of parents nationwide is understandable” and that “until there is a vaccine, no parent will be comfortable sending their children out to schools.”
“The infrastructure and equipment challenges are considerable.”
The DepEd reported that only 15.9 million students have been enrolled for K-12 in public and private schools. This is 12 million pupils short of the DepEd’s 28 million target. As a consequence, enrollment has been extended to July 15.
“DepEd says they will be able to continue with classes via alternative modes, like distance education and online learning. But the infrastructure and equipment challenges are considerable, and we still have to consider the training our teachers will require under this new set up,” said Abante.
The House leader suggested that the DepEd first ensure that it is ready to open classes before doing so, and that the agency “possibly pilot-test these new systems in select areas so what whatever problems that are identified can be addressed before we scale up to the full roll-out of the system.”
Abante also pointed out that “given all the adjustments students and teachers must make, it may be prudent to adopt a pass or fail grading system in the first term as everyone adjusts to the new system; may learning curve po ito, kahit para sa magulang, so the focus should be on education per se and not the grades of these pupils.”
“Pilot-test these new systems in select areas so what whatever problems that are identified can be addressed.”
Meanwhile, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Party-list Rep. France Castro proposed that the DepEd utilize adaptive temporary non-formal education in lieu of its learning continuity program.
“Kami sa ACT ay nagpo-propose sa DepEd ng adaptive temporary non-formal education as opposed to the learning continuity program––wag natin ipilit ang formal education na gumagamit ng high-tech modalities na sinasabi, ang mga modules, at iba pa dahil you have to remember nasa pandemic pa tayo, hindi pa nakaka-cope up ang mga pamilya sa pandemya,” said Castro.
Castro explained that adaptive temporary non-formal education involves adapting education curricula to the environment and circumstances of the student, such as learning programs revolving around agriculture in countryside areas instead of a more formal, structured curriculum.
Under this system, stressed Castro, “hindi stressed out si teacher, hindi stressed out ang magulang, at hindi stressed out ang ating mga estudyante.”