Manila Bulletin
Philippines
Gatchalian urges DepEd to consult PTAs on Learning Continuity Plan concerns
Philippines
Gatchalian urges DepEd to consult PTAs on Learning Continuity Plan concerns
Gatchalian urges DepEd to consult PTAs on Learning Continuity Plan concerns
Published May 28, 2020 12:00 am
By Hannah Torregoza
The Department of Education (DepEd) should discuss lingering concerns in the implementation of the Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) for School Year 2020-2021 with parent-teacher associations or PTAs, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian said on Thursday.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, said the dialogues should tackle parents' and teachers' concerns on social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols to help protect students and themselves from the coronavirus disease this school year. The senator said PTAs should be mobilized as partners in enrollment campaigns to reduce the potential number of dropouts, noting some parents would opt not to enroll their children amid fears of COVID-19. He, however, said PTAs must fully understand how minimum health standards in the LCP will ensure the safety of learners when classes reopen. “Nakasasalay sa ating mga magulang at mga guro ang mabisang pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon sa kabila ng patuloy na banta ng COVID-19 (the continuation of education despite the threat of COVID-19 rests on the parents and the teachers),” Gatchalian said. “Bago pa muling buksan ang mga klase, dapat ngayon pa lang ay makipag-ugnayan na ang DepEd sa PTA upang mabigyang linaw ang anumang tanong o pangamba ng ating mga magulang at mga guro (Even before the classes start, DepEd should be coordinating with the various PTA groups to clarify any vague protocols and to allay the fears of the parents and teachers),” said Gatchalian. Gatchalian said PTAs can help in enhancing the readiness of both teachers and parents in using alternative modes of learning delivery such as online distance learning, modular distance learning, and through television and radio. The lawmaker warned that parents, teachers, and guardians may experience high stress levels if they are not prepared to take on their new roles in rolling out the LCP, which will worsen the learners’ academic outcomes. In working with PTAs, the DepEd should also teach parents how to provide psychosocial support to learners, noting that parents and guardians have the responsibility to create a safe and productive learning environment in their homes. In an interview with "The Chiefs," Gatchalian said DepEd should exhaust the use of all available technologies as new methods of teaching as schools transition to a “new normal.” He said this will help bridge the gap of inequality between learners who are from poor and well-off families. “Inequality in education is very high in our country. A case in point is the PISA results last year. We were second to the last in Math, Science, and Reading so we cannot let this inequality grow bigger and bigger because of COVID,” Gatchalian said referring to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). “We need to innovate and do something. This is why I implored the DepEd to use all available technologies. TV and radio will not be perfect. It cannot substitute face-to-face learning or it cannot completely substitute day-to-day physical learning pero hindi pwedeng wala eh,” he said. “I’m very worried that if we don’t do anything, the other alternative here is to do nothing and the inequality between the rich and the poor will greatly increase over the next few months and we cannot afford that,” he added. Gatchalian said he is confident that DepEd has the resources, brain power, and manpower to develop a curriculum that can deliver and address the needs of the parents, teachers, and students while the nation battles the COVID-19 crisis. “I don’t see any harm or any downside. It’s important for DepEd to learn and DepEd has the resources, the brain power, the manpower to develop this curriculum that is why they’re giving themselves ample time to develop it,” he said. “Hopefully we don’t reach that point and the situation changes for the better, but if it does, we cannot afford to just sit down and just wait for the vaccine before allowing the students to go back to school,” Gatchalian said. “Because, what if the vaccine does not materialize in two years? So will our children stop learning in two years? I don’t think that’s possible in our situation,” he said.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian(Senate of the Philippines / MANILA BULLETIN) Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, said the dialogues should tackle parents' and teachers' concerns on social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols to help protect students and themselves from the coronavirus disease this school year. The senator said PTAs should be mobilized as partners in enrollment campaigns to reduce the potential number of dropouts, noting some parents would opt not to enroll their children amid fears of COVID-19. He, however, said PTAs must fully understand how minimum health standards in the LCP will ensure the safety of learners when classes reopen. “Nakasasalay sa ating mga magulang at mga guro ang mabisang pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon sa kabila ng patuloy na banta ng COVID-19 (the continuation of education despite the threat of COVID-19 rests on the parents and the teachers),” Gatchalian said. “Bago pa muling buksan ang mga klase, dapat ngayon pa lang ay makipag-ugnayan na ang DepEd sa PTA upang mabigyang linaw ang anumang tanong o pangamba ng ating mga magulang at mga guro (Even before the classes start, DepEd should be coordinating with the various PTA groups to clarify any vague protocols and to allay the fears of the parents and teachers),” said Gatchalian. Gatchalian said PTAs can help in enhancing the readiness of both teachers and parents in using alternative modes of learning delivery such as online distance learning, modular distance learning, and through television and radio. The lawmaker warned that parents, teachers, and guardians may experience high stress levels if they are not prepared to take on their new roles in rolling out the LCP, which will worsen the learners’ academic outcomes. In working with PTAs, the DepEd should also teach parents how to provide psychosocial support to learners, noting that parents and guardians have the responsibility to create a safe and productive learning environment in their homes. In an interview with "The Chiefs," Gatchalian said DepEd should exhaust the use of all available technologies as new methods of teaching as schools transition to a “new normal.” He said this will help bridge the gap of inequality between learners who are from poor and well-off families. “Inequality in education is very high in our country. A case in point is the PISA results last year. We were second to the last in Math, Science, and Reading so we cannot let this inequality grow bigger and bigger because of COVID,” Gatchalian said referring to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). “We need to innovate and do something. This is why I implored the DepEd to use all available technologies. TV and radio will not be perfect. It cannot substitute face-to-face learning or it cannot completely substitute day-to-day physical learning pero hindi pwedeng wala eh,” he said. “I’m very worried that if we don’t do anything, the other alternative here is to do nothing and the inequality between the rich and the poor will greatly increase over the next few months and we cannot afford that,” he added. Gatchalian said he is confident that DepEd has the resources, brain power, and manpower to develop a curriculum that can deliver and address the needs of the parents, teachers, and students while the nation battles the COVID-19 crisis. “I don’t see any harm or any downside. It’s important for DepEd to learn and DepEd has the resources, the brain power, the manpower to develop this curriculum that is why they’re giving themselves ample time to develop it,” he said. “Hopefully we don’t reach that point and the situation changes for the better, but if it does, we cannot afford to just sit down and just wait for the vaccine before allowing the students to go back to school,” Gatchalian said. “Because, what if the vaccine does not materialize in two years? So will our children stop learning in two years? I don’t think that’s possible in our situation,” he said.