As the Philippines celebrates the Safer Internet Day along with the rest of the world, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday, Feb. 9, assured that it continues to implement initiatives that would ensure the safety of learners and its personnel especially when they go online.
Despite the disruptions brought about by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation in the education sector, Undersecretary for Administration Alain Pascua said that DepEd has come up with various initiatives and activities that would respond to the needs of the times.
“We already conducted last year a Parenting Webinar Sessions on how they will protect kids online,” Pascua told the Manila Bulletin. “This year, we now have ETULAY-online tutorial web format which promotes Filipino values with guided instruction using SLMs ,” he added.
“ETULay” is a free online tutorial platform for learners given by “excellent and inspiring educators who assume the role of a facilitator and guide the students to another level of learning experience.”
The initiative is made possible by the DepEd Educational Technology Unit (ETU), under the Information and Communications Technology Service, which continues to innovate the different blended learning approaches of the DepEd to deliver quality education.
“This online tutorial will also help parents to guide the studies of their children right at the comfort of their homes,” Pascua explained.
“To ensure safety of children online, we are instilling values in the conducted ETULAY sessions for them to be responsible users of the web (netiquette),” he added.
Meanwhile, Pascua said that the department has also started issuing email accounts for all students that will be used to authenticate access in all DepEd systems.
“Cyber safety concepts are also being taught as part of the curriculum starting in Grade 5 to 12,” he added.
Pascua said that DepEd is also conducting a data privacy workshop for teachers to ensure DepEd compliance in Data Privacy Act (DPA) specially that “we are using online learning facilities at this time.”
Celebrated worldwide every February, the Safer Internet Day aims to promote the “safe and positive use of digital technology” specially for children and the youth.