By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday assured that it will comply with the directive of President Duterte to postpone holding of face-to-face classes until a vaccine or cure for COVID-19 is found and assured that the agency continues to prepare for the formal school opening set in August.
DepEd Sec. Leonor Briones (FEDERICO CRUZ / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, in a statement, thanked President Duterte for reiterating the national government’s “willingness to assist us in our endeavor to offer alternatives to face-to-face learning despite the public health situation.”
From the Central Office down to the school level, Briones said that DepEd “fully engaged in readying our operations” based on its Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP). “We are updating our policies, realigning our finances, and collaborating with our partners so that our goals of providing quality education and protecting the safety and health of our constituents will be achieved,” she explained.
Since June 1, Briones said that has been conducting a remote enrollment nationwide in order to assess learners’ household information which will be “crucial in the preparation and the contextualization of the learning delivery mode in each locality.”
“Enrollment will be voluntary, and we will respect the decision of parents if, despite being offered blended/distance learning, they still decide not to enroll their students in the coming school year by reason of COVID-19,” Briones said.
Based on the school calendar issued by DepEd for School Year (SY) 2020-2021, the opening of classes for the basic education shall be on August 24, 2020 and will end on April 30, 2021. The opening of classes has been delayed due to the public health situation in the country.
For those who will allow their children to continue their education, Briones said that the DepEd Central Office provides the framework, menu of options, and resource support. “