When face-to-face classes were not allowed since last school year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) situation in the country, the homes of millions of learners became their very own classrooms --- with the parents taking on the very important role of monitoring their learning progress.

“Parents play a vital role in the success of the learners not only in the lessons they learn from the teachers, but also in the guidance to nurture holistically developed individuals,” Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said.

As the most significant adults inside the house, the role of parents in the learning of their children has become more crucial especially under the blended learning set-up.

Recognizing that this new role might be overwhelming for many parents, the Department of Education (DepEd) -- through the External Partnerships Service (EPS) --- provided strategies and best practices for parents to improve home learning experience with Filipino learners through a PTA webinar titled “Parents’ Role for a Better Learning at Home.”

While collaborative efforts from different sectors of the society helped families adapt to the blended learning setup, DepEd recognizes that further capacity-building activities must be offered to parents.

Dr. Aser B. Javier, an International Governance Consultant and DepEd-EPS Consultant, shared four significant roles that parents play in the education of their children: Facilitator of Learning, Assessor of Child Self-Directed Learning, Community Mobilizer of Learning, and Enabler of Love for Learning (FACE).

Javier said that through the webinar, parents will have effective methods to ensure that children do not drop out of school during the pandemic.

“Pinaka-importante na malaman at masiguro na ang bata ay mag-aaral at matututo kahit sya ay nasa bahay (It is most important to know and make sure that the child will study and learn even when he is at home),” he said.

“We can realize that our role is very important for the growth of your child so that learning will not be lost,” he added.

Meanwhile, National Capital Region (NCR) Assistant Regional Director Arnulfo Balane also explained that parents, as co-collaborators of distance learning, have the responsibility to inspire and motivate children to love learning.

Parents, he added, also need to provide spaces conducive to learning, and touch base with the teachers by providing feedback about their children’s learning status.

During the program hosted by the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Las Piñas City, Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs, External Partnerships, and Project Management Service Tonisito M.C Umali, Esq. emphasized the important roles of the parents, along with Parents-Teachers Associations (PTAs), in the implementation of the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).

Umali said that DepEd is also monitoring the crafting of the 2021 Omnibus Guidelines on the Regulation of Operations of Parents-Teachers Associations which, he explained, will be more comprehensive and will be released soon.

Meanwhile, DepEd is also set to establish home learning spaces for SY 2021-2022 by assisting selected learners from the 20 poorest provinces and urban poor families in the NCR and selected Schools Division Offices (SDOs) in Region IV-A.