The Department of Education (DepEd) has decided to adjust the four quarters of the school year as part of its response “to key challenges” in teaching students during the pandemic.
“The Secretary, in collaboration with the Executive and Management Committees, has been closely monitoring the delivery of basic education services in the public schools since the start of classes on October 5, 2020,” read the Oct. 30 memorandum of DepEd Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio.
“Because of some key challenges noted, there is a need to recalibrate the strategy of assigning teaching responsibilities of teachers and learning activities of the learners with the assistance of their parents,” he added.
San Antonio said this means that the first quarter of the school year has been extended up to December 12.
The second quarter has been reset to Jan. 4, 2021 to Feb. 27, 2021, the third quarter to March 1, 2021 to April 24, 2021, and the fourth quarter to April 26, 2021 to June 11, 2021.
Secretary Leonor Briones previously issued an Oct. 2 order which set the four quarters of the school year on the following dates: first quarter -- from Oct,5 to Nov. 28; second quarter -- from Dec. 1 to Feb. 6, 2021; third quarter -- from Feb. 15, 2021 to April 10, 2021; and the fourth quarter -- from April 12, 2021 to June 5, 2021.
In his memorandum, San Antonio said Dec. 14 to 19 will be “devoted to In-Service Training (INSET) which may include MELCs (Most Essential Learning Competencies)-based Quarter 2 planning for Distance Learning Delivery Modalities (DLDM).”
Aside from this, he said “the week may also be used for other activities at the Regional Office (RO), Schools Division Office (SDO), and school levels to assess the implementation of the contextualized Learning Plan (LCP) and gather evidence as a basis for plan adjustments.”
“Based on the assessment, external stakeholders and partners such as local government units, civil society organizations, private organizations, and individuals may be tapped to provide much needed support like materials, equipment, and mechanisms, among others, to help teachers, learners, and parents in addressing the challenges in distance and home-based learning (e.g., provision of solar lamps to unenergized homes, study tablets, electronic gadgets, prepaid internet cards, schools supplies, other logistical support),” the DepEd official said.
“Coordination with barangay/purok officials on matters related to child safeguarding and child protection shall be strengthened,” he added.
San Antonio also advised schools to organize group wellness sessions in support of the mental-health and socio-emotional wellbeing of teachers, students, and their parents or learning facilitators.
He also asked schools to provide support to learners and home learning facilitators experiencing difficulties, including having home visits.
Aside from these suggestions, San Antonio told ROs, SDOs, and public schools that they are “fully authorized to implement other measures deemed appropriate for their respective contexts.”