Photo courtesy of DepEd.
QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The Department of Education (DepEd) is exploring interventions to address the effect of several instances of class disruptions due to typhoons and other weather disturbances that have hit the country.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara convened today, Nov. 13, the Deped National Management Committee (ManComm) to seek solutions to “learning losses” as a result of frequent class suspensions amid the successive storms.
“We’re bringing resilience to the heart of learning so that no student’s education has to pause when challenges arise,” Angara emphasized.
The Deped has noted that the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has already recorded 35 class disruptions in the current school year, pointing out that this accounts for the highest number of school days lost mainly due to natural disasters and calamities.
Based on the agency’s monitoring, other severely impacted regions such as Regions II, I, IV-A, and III experienced at least 29 class disruptions each, with a few attributed to human-induced hazards like fire incidences.
It further mentioned that 239 schools across the country are considered “very high risk” to further learning losses due to the frequency of natural hazards.
Severe damages incurred by the education sector also affected 377,729 learners, it added.
In addition to this, 4,771 schools with 3,865,903 learners are categorized as “high risk,” the department noted.
Angara said one of the interventions that the agency will implement is the Dynamic Learning Program (DLP) to ensure learning continuity, especially in affected regions.
He discussed that DLP can be implemented in schools as make-up classes and catch-up sessions in temporary learning spaces. The initiative features parallel classes, activity-based engagement, student portfolios, and a reduced homework policy.
DLP was developed by Dr. Christopher Bernido, an education advocate and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, who was present during the ManComm meeting to answer questions.
Angara said DLP is just one of the interventions that DepEd is exploring to implement.
DepEd’s partner Khan Academy Philippines Inc. also showcased during the meeting its platform, which, it said, will supplement the learners’ skills and knowledge through the Khan PH’s online learning content, which aims to “strengthen the foundational skills of learners in numeracy and literacy.” (PIA DMD)
