When schools were abruptly closed in March 2020 due to the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), most parents and students were relieved since health and safety were - and still are - of utmost priority.

A year after, schools remain closed despite the opening of a new school year. Alternative learning delivery modalities are currently implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) in an effort to ensure that education will continue for over 26.6 million students under the K to 12 Program.

Classes in public schools for School Year (SY) 2020-2021 officially opened on Oct. 5. Some private schools were allowed to open earlier provided that they were able to comply with the requirements set by the DepEd on distance learning set-up.

Halfway into the new school year, parents and students continue to navigate distance learning as they take note of the advantages and disadvantages it brings.

Concerns on quality

Parent Rhine Quejano-Gonzales, 37, shared that there are indeed major adjustments this school year. “I need to monitor their school activities per subject and I have to make sure that they finish these,” she said in a mix of English and Filipino.

A mother of three boys, with two currently studying, Quejano-Gonzales said that she became more hands-on now when it comes to the studies of her children. “Before, I just used to check those that were already checked by the teachers but now, I need to explain the lesson when they don’t understand it,” she added.

While she has become closer to her children as she monitors their daily school work and activities, Quejano-Gonzales noted that there are also challenges and disadvantages in the current learning set-up.

“There are lessons that are hard to explain like Math,” she said. “At times, I'm not confident if they're really learning,” she added.

Her kids are under blended learning, a combination of two or more delivery modalities under distance learning. “Even if there’s an online video sent by the teacher, understanding the lesson is a challenge sometimes,” she said.

Quejano-Gonzales also noted that unlike in face-to-face classes, where the teacher explains the lessons better, the current set-up poses comprehension and retention issues among students. “Before, the teacher is able to address the questions or is there things that are not understood - unlike now,” she added.

Coping while stuck at home

At first, Hans Gabriel De Vera, 14, was somewhat excited when school closures were announced last year.

“I thought that I would be able to rest, recharge, and take a break from my studies for a while; however, little did I know that I would be stuck in my home for one full year,” the Grade 8 student from the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) - Main Campus said.

A few months after the start of the lockdown, De Vera started to miss his friends. “I felt a bit lonely because I couldn't see my friends; however, I was able to cope with the help of my family and my hobbies,” he added.

While he was stuck at home, De Vera also noted some major adjustments and challenges this school year.

“At the start of the school year, we had a lot of requirements and projects that we needed to do because of this, I began to look into ways to do my work in a more efficient manner,” he said.

Recognizing that this school year is nothing ordinary, De Vera tried to find ways on how he can adapt to the current situation. “I found that listing down all of my requirements and their respective due dates really helps me work faster,” he said. "Being able to see my daily progress also helps keep me motivated,” he added.

For De Vera, the current learning set-up has its pros and cons.

For instance, the biggest advantage for De Vera is the way the quizzes are written. “Before the schools closed, most of the quizzes were based on memorization; however, in the current learning set-up, most of the quizzes started to focus on conceptual understanding,” he explained.

This, De Vera said, is a “positive” development. “Conceptual understanding is more important than memorizing facts,” he said. “In the current learning set-up, we can also easily access the internet, which makes learning a lot easier,” he added.

However, he also acknowledged some disadvantages. “It is a bit harder to ask for live feedback from the teacher in remote learning. Also, internet problems may slow down learning,” he explained.

While he still misses his friends, De Vera said that he does not feel lonely anymore. “I've already gotten used to the current distance learning set-up. I also attend weekly meetings with my friends where we just relax,” he added.

Asked about his thoughts on the proposed implementation of limited face-to-face classes, De Vera noted that students should only return to face-to-face classes once most of the population have been inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine. “I think that we should first prioritize the students' health,” he ended.