Recognizing the need for education to continue even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Literacy Coordinating Council (LCC) expressed support to the Basic Education - Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Issuing a statement, the LCC said it “appreciates the rigorous efforts of DepEd to continue providing education amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond.”
The LCC is an inter-agency body administratively attached to the DepEd. It acts as the overall advisory and coordinating body which provides policy and program directions for all literacy endeavors in the country.
The Council Members of LCC includes DepEd, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippine Normal University (PNU), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), National Economic and Development authority (NEDA), Senate, House of Representatives, and network of non-government organizations (NGOs).
The LCC also also extended support - in every way they can - to DepEd “to continually deliver and uphold an accessible, relevant, inclusive and liberating literacy to every Filipino, especially to the marginalized sectors.”
As adaptive measures to this COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, the LCC said it continues to pursue activities that will ensure literacy delivery to the marginalized sectors and contribute to build back better the education system.
LCC said that this year’s call for research proposal focuses on the intervention of literacy to various community needs amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond with relevant policy recommendations.
Based on the Memorandum Circular issued last November 26, 2007, local LCC/Literacy Implementing Units will be created and strengthened in the city and municipality levels to make the literacy policy and programs more contextualized and sector-specific.
“In addition, LGU’s best literacy practices will be compiled and made into IEC materials that could be references in improving literacy efforts instead of holding National Literacy Awards (NLA) this year,” LCC said.
“It was postponed to 2021 because of health and safety concerns,” it added.
Meanwhile, the LCC also urged various stakeholders such as the national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), civil society organizations (CSOs), private sectors and other literacy advocates “to intensify their collaborations with DepEd, to champion this noble, goal, and to exhaust all efforts for continuous learning of the learners.”
LCC said that in trying times such as the pandemic, it is tempting to be overwhelmed by fear and be paralyzed.
“In spite of this, we choose to remain focused and to keep on pressing forward towards the universalization of literacy in the country.”
While adversaries may be present, LCC said that it is the same ground where concerned stakeholders can unify and exceed what has already been done in the past.
“Literacy for everyone, especially for the out-of-school youths and adults, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, and other marginalized and vulnerable sectors, remains as one of the priorities, and serves as our speckle of hope,” it added.
Given this, LCC assured that it will continue to participate in ensuring quality education equitable and accessible to all learners particularly the marginalized, excluded and vulnerable sectors.
“We know that our purpose of delivering continued education to everyone is one of the strongest weapons and we shall not let any pandemic stifle it,” it ended.