For Education Secretary Leonor Briones, the assessment of students’ performance is the “biggest challenge” in the implementation of distance or blended learning.

“If we are to look for an area that is challenging, for me it’s the assessment side, aside from many other factors which have come out because they were not predicted,” Briones said during the Laging Handa public briefing on Monday, July 19.

Briones noted that in the last school year under blended learning, the biggest challenge is the “challenge of assessment” because “how do you assess if a child has learned or has complied with all our requirements?” Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, DepEd has implemented a streamlined curriculum in School Year (SY) 2020-2021.

DepEd developed the Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) which is used by schools as a guide amidst the pandemic.

In the previous school year under distance learning, written examinations were removed as well as the other traditional means of assessing students performance. Output-based assessment was used by teachers to determine and gauge the learning process among their students.

Briones said that before, students were asked to take examinations, submit written reports, homework, and projects and they are graded accordingly based on the fulfillment of these academic requirements.

“But under blended learning, that is not very easy and that is not convenient as well, so we are paying attention to the assessment side of a child’s performance,” Briones said.

Recognizing that there are children who might need help, Briones said that DepEd is holding remedial classes. “We are going to have enhancement sessions for those we think need more help or because there are also parents also need help,” she added.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/16/deped-remedial-advancement-classes-for-summer-2021-to-start-on-july-19/