A month before President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration ends, Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones looked back and enumerated the country’s education milestones over the last six years.
Briones, during the Duterte Legacy summit on May 31, said that the education legacies of the Duterte Administration revolved around the following—ensuring that no one is left behind, ensuring that education must continue, and ensuring that the poor and the marginalized have a second chance to pursue education.
One of the hardest-hit Departments amid the Covid-19 pandemic is the education sector, but despite the challenges in basic education, Briones underscored that the Philippines did not end the country’s academic process, nor did it close the schools.
“I want to correct that because our fellow Filipinos also have that impression. While physically, our school buildings were closed because of the pandemic, the presence of education continued because we adjusted and instituted blended learning where we implemented other modalities in learning for our children. We never stopped the academic process. We never closed the schools,” reiterated Briones.
While the threat of Covid-19 remains, Briones insisted that the Philippines will be implementing “full face-to-face” classes in school year (SY) 2022-2023.
100% in-person classes for SY 2022-2023
Briones, in the same summit, said that they are eyeing the 100 percent implementation of face-to-face classes nationwide.
As of May 26, a total of 34,238 schools have been nominated for the progressive expansion of in person classes. This number accounts for 73.28 percent of the total number of public schools and 9.50 percent of the total number of private schools, respectively.
Briones added that at least 30,033 or 66.56 percent of the country’s public schools are already participating and have started the conduct of face-to-face classes. Meanwhile, 918 or 7.43 percent of the country’s total number of private schools have so far started implementing in person classes.
“This is contrary to all the moanings and the screams and the shrieks about closed schools, about the Philippines being the only country who has closed schools,” she reiterated.
DepEd previously stated that they are aiming to begin SY 2022-2023 in June, adding that they will base the recommended mode of learning depending on the advice of the Department of Health (DOH), and the consent and participation of local government units, as well as the consent of parents.
Last Mile Schools Program
Apart from ensuring that the classes nationwide will continue despite the ongoing pandemic, Briones reported that they have been extending help to geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
For the past six years, DepEd has provided a total of 46,957 laptops and computers, 33,709 tablets, as well as 14,401 televisions to educational institutions across the country. These devices are shared by at least 1,592,814 learners and 69,761 teachers.
“This is the Department’s solution to address the gaps in resources and facilities ,” said Briones, adding that the Department saw the need of extending help to the “unseen” and “deprived.”
DepEd TV, DepEd Commons
In ensuring that education will continue amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Briones said that they utilized the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).
“We utilized communications – TV radio, to make available to our learners, to our teachers, and to our parents who are learning along with our students, our resources in DepEd. This is how we were able to reach out to our alternative learners, as well as our last mile schoolers,” said Briones.
Alternative Learning System
Meanwhile, in ensuring that the poor and marginalized have a second chance to pursue education, the Department strengthened the implementation of the Alternative Learning System (ALS), a parallel learning system that provides opportunities for out-of-school youth and adults to develop basic and functional literacy skills.
“During the period when schools were forcibly closed, we were learning other ways of teaching. We were learning other ways of communicating with other pupils, we were involving the parents, and the local governments, the entire country as well,” said Briones.
From 2016 to 2021, a total of 4,228,350 out of school youth and adults across the country have enrolled in the ALS program. This, according to DepEd, is 93.35 percent higher than the past two administrations on a yearly average.