The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday, Oct. 7, reiterated the need for in-person learning amidst concerns on the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes in low risk areas.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, during the briefing of Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, explained the importance of holding face-to-face classes, even on a limited basis, for children.
“Their physical growth can be encouraged in schools,” Briones said in a mix of English and Filipino.
Briones added that attending classes physically can also help ease the negative mental health impact of distance learning among students due to lack of face-to-face interaction and socialization.
“This helps mental health and child development, they need to be nurtured and they need to interact with fellow children,” she added.
While DepEd has gained successes in implementing distance learning on a large scale, Briones said that there were also challenges that can be addressed by face-to-face classes.
In particular, DepEd said that face-to-face classes --- even in limited form --- can mitigate the challenges of distance learning by address difficulties in monitoring and assessing learning progress remotely.
Attending limited face-to-face can also “mitigate inequalities and unevenness in access to technology, household resources, and student skills for self-learning.”
Moreover, face-to-face classes can also “allow resumption of activities that cannot be done at home.”
DepEd added that face-to-face classes also address the needs of learners with no adult in the family qualified to perform the role of learning facilitator.
“With resumption of face-to-face classes, schools can help in the enforcement of health standards in school setting,” the agency added.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/15/could-distance-learning-be-really-harmful-to-students/
On Oct. 6, DepEd announced that the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes will start on Nov. 15 as recommended by the Department of Health (DOH).
In total, DepEd will include 120 schools (95 public elementary schools, five Senior High Schools and 20 private elementary schools) in the pilot run of the limited face-to-face classes.
Citing data from DOH as of Oct. 2, DepEd said that there are 59 schools nationwide that have been approved to conduct limited in person classes.
DepEd said that DOH will continue to assess the nominated schools and will give regular updates until the target number of 120 schools for the pilot run has been achieved.
The pilot study for the limited face-to-face classes will be done for two months or from November 2021 to January 2022.
Based the assessment and review, DepEd plans to expand the implementation of the conduct of limited face-to-face classes starting March 2022.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2021/10/06/deped-releases-timeline-of-pilot-face-to-face-classes-for-school-year-2021-2022/