The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued the guidelines on the implementation of the Catch-Up Fridays set to start in elementary and secondary schools across the country.
DepEd Undersecretary for Curriculum and Teaching Gina Gonong issued the DepEd Memorandum No. 001 series of 2024 dated Jan. 10 which outlined the implementation of Catch-Up Fridays.
"Catch-up Fridays is a learning mechanism intended to strengthen the foundational, social, and other relevant skills necessary to actualize the intent of the basic education curriculum," DepEd explained in the memo.
This initiative, DepEd added, is “integral” in the National Reading and Mathematics Programs which are critical subprograms of the National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP) as stipulated in its DO 013 series of 2023.
DepEd said it implement Catch-up Fridays beginning Jan. 12, 2024, across elementary and secondary schools and community learning centers (CLCs) nationwide.
All Fridays of January 2024, DepEd explained, “shall be dedicated to the ‘Drop Everything and Read’ (DEAR) activity and orientation for field officials.”
“It shall also be used as a venue to gather feedback from field implementers on the guidelines of Catch-up Fridays,” DepEd added.
DepEd said all Fridays throughout the school year shall be “designated as Catch-up Fridays” --- with a focus on operationalizing the National Reading Program (NRP) during the first half of the day's schedule and on fostering Values, Health, and Peace Education for the second half.
“Additionally, the Homeroom Guidance Program (HGP) shall also be included in the Catch-up Fridays,” DepEd added.
DepEd also noted that the time allotment for each learning area on a Friday shall be used to “enhance learners' knowledge and skills in and appreciation of reading, values, health, and peace education.”
Moreover, DepEd noted that the Catch-up Fridays “shall not be graded” since its main objective is to reinforce learning and individual progress.