The Department of Education has cited a fund drive launched by the World Vision Philippines to assist the agency in responding to the needs of learners and teachers in public schools as it implements blended and distance learning this upcoming school year.
DepEd, in an online press conference on “Oplan: Balik-Eskwela” and “Brigada Eskwela” (OBE-BE) on July 8, gathered various partners from the government and private sector for the opening of classes for School Year (SY) 2020-2021.
World Vision Philippines gave updates on its “Abutin na 10” campaign which was launched in June to raise funds to support DepEd in its implementation of the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).
Funds gathered will help DepEd in the printing of Self-Learning Modules and the procurement of gadgets to support distance learning and homeschooling modalities this school year.
“All of this, every day there is a challenge. Every day, an action has to be found. Every day, there is a new development. Every day, there is a new question and the DepEd has responded heroically and we are most grateful to each and every one of them,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones during the presser.
“Thank you for the support. Thank you for holding our hands. Thank you for saying, in so many words, that you trust us. We believe that we can deliver. Thank you for believing along with us,” Briones added.
“Abutin Na10,” World Vision's massive educational fund drive, was officially last June 30. Briones commended the worthy effort aimed to fund the reproduction of self-learning materials and gadgets to help thousands of students facing the new school year yet challenged by the COVID-19 crisis.
Briones asserted that “education must continue” with or without the threat of the COVID-19 because it “is perhaps the greatest legacy we can leave our learners and our children.”
The health emergency, Briones said, has “affected so many lives around the world, and has damaged our education curriculum, class schedules, and overturned the system of delivering learning to children.” While DepEd pushes for learning continuity, she noted that ensuring that the “health, safety, and well-being of learners, teachers and personnel” are protected remains the utmost priority of the agency.
The “Abutin Na10” campaign hopes to bridge a gap by enabling distance learning and homeschooling modalities. “We hope we can come together and do the things we thought can never be accomplished, and let us support the implementation of the country’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan for our children through ‘Abutin Na10’,” said DepEd Undersecretary Atty. Tonisito M.C. Umali, Esq.