December 30, 2020 – The Department of Education (DepEd) lauded President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and lawmakers for increasing the budget for teaching and connectivity allowances to assist public school teachers and learners amidst the pandemic.

In the General Appropriations Act (GAA) for 2021 signed by President Duterte last Monday, DepEd was given the budget allocation to increase the teaching supplies and communication allowances of teachers from Php 3,500 to Php 5,000.

The provision of additional allowances for teachers starting next year was in line with Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones’ request to the lawmakers and Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to finance the stakeholders’ needs for the continuity of distance learning.

“We would like to thank the President, our senators and representatives for backing our request to increase teachers’ allowance. This is timely support for the education sector and to our teachers in these difficult times,” Secretary Briones said.

“With this positive development, we believe that our lawmakers will continue to support our initiatives for the welfare of our teachers and learners and the improvement of education in the country,” Sec. Briones added.

President Duterte commended DepEd in his message for the Department’s continuous efforts to implement the blended distance learning modality during this challenging time. “I commend the invaluable efforts of the DepEd in fulfilling its mandate amidst the current public health emergency by continually providing quality education to our learners through alternative learning modules and modalities. I admire our teachers, coordinators, and facilitators in their relentless efforts and sacrifices to adjust to the new learning set-up,”

Meanwhile, the grant of the transportation and teaching aid allowances under DepEd OSEC, Special Provision No. 21, “Alternative Learning System,” Volume I A, page 195, shall be subject to guidelines to be issued by the DepEd, in coordination with the DBM, in conformity with existing compensation laws, rules and regulations.

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On the Pilot Implementation of Limited Face-to-Face Classes

December 15, 2020 – The Department of Education welcomes the approval of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the Cabinet of the conduct of pilot face-to-face classes in very select schools within areas with low COVID-19 risk for the whole month of January 2021. The pilot will provide important experience and learning that will inform the final recommendation that DepEd intends to make on any broader resumption of face-to-face classes.

DepEd emphasizes that the pilot study will be highly selective based on stringent conditions:

·       The pilot implementation will take place only in areas categorized as low-risk (at least under Modified General Community Quarantine or MGCQ)

·       There must be a commitment for shared responsibility of DepEd, the local government unit (LGU), and the parents or guardians.

·       Stringent health and safety standards shall be followed at the home, during travel to and from the schools, and within school premises.

The Department would like to emphasize that participation of learners for the pilot study will be voluntary, with the requisite permit issued by the parents. Face-to-face classes will not be conducted for the full week schedule. They will be under staggered or intermittent schedule, and with reduced class size to allow proper physical distancing within the classroom.

Regional Directors have submitted to the Secretary their nominated schools for inclusion in the pilot study. The limited number of public schools that will participate in the pilot implementation will be determined within the month upon validation and evaluation of their compliance and readiness with respect to the risk classification, documentation of acknowledgment of shared responsibility, students and classroom management plan, and health standard requirements at home, during travel, and in school premises.

Once selected, the participating schools, LGUs, learners, and parents will undergo a thorough process of orientation, mobilization, and readiness confirmation before the actual implementation.

The conduct and monitoring will be closely coordinated by the Department with the COVID-19 National Task Force (NTF). External organizations are also invited to support, give feedback, and help generate resources to ensure the success of the program.

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On Tue, Dec 15, 2020 at 2:26 PM DepEd Communications Division <pas.cd@deped.gov.ph> wrote:

On the Pilot Implementation of Limited Face-to-Face Classes

December 15, 2020 – The Department of Education welcomes the approval of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the Cabinet of the conduct of pilot face-to-face classes implementation in very select schools within areas with low COVID-19 risk for the whole month of January 2021.

The pilot implementation will only take place in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) or categorized as low-risk areas, following stringent health and safety standards.

There must also be a commitment for shared responsibility of DepEd, the local government unit (LGU), and the parents or guardians.

The Department would also like to emphasize that learners will not be compelled to participate and can continue their distance learning set-up. Selected schools will require consent from parents allowing their children to join the limited face-to-face classes.

For schools, there must be a well-documented report of readiness, including risk classification, documentation of acknowledgment of shared responsibility, students and classroom management plan, and health standard requirements at home, during travel, and in school premises.

The Regional Directors have already submitted to the Secretary the nominated schools that satisfy the specific conditions laid by the Department. The limited number of public schools that will participate in the pilot implementation will be determined within the month upon evaluating their compliance and readiness.  

Once selected, the participating schools, LGUs, learners, and parents will undergo a thorough process of orientation, mobilization, and readiness confirmation before the actual implementation.

The conduct and monitoring will be closely coordinated by the Department with the COVID-19 National Task Force (NTF). External organizations are also invited to support, give feedback, and help generate resources to ensure the success of the program.

Recognizing that face-to-face classes remain a necessity for education, this pilot implementation in low-risk areas can help policymakers and the Department in coming up with more comprehensive recommendations and initiatives for learning continuity moving forward.

                                                   END 

DepEd seals partnership with ICM to help parents nurture kindergarten learners

December 10, 2020 – The Department of Education (DepEd) virtually signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the International Care Ministries (ICM) last December 4 to assist parents of learners, especially in Kindergarten, on a better understanding of the modules provided by their schools.

“Ang papel na ginagampanan ng ating mga magulang ay talaga pong hindi natin basta-basta maisasantabi dahil po distance learning na lang ang aming pinapatupad,” said Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs, External Partnerships, and Project Management Service Tonisito Umali. 

“Lahat ng [pamamaraan ng] pag-aaral [ng ating mga anak] na nangyayari [na] nananatili [lamang sila sa] ating tahanan at walang pisikal na guro na puwede pong tumugon sa kanilang pangangailangan, [kinakailangan] ang ating mga magulang [ay] ating maaasahan,” he added.

ICM Education Strategy Director Anna Alegre highlighted the ICM’s Two-Generation approach where the adults are being taught primary lessons and skills in values, health, livelihood, and parenthood while advocating nutrition, health, and the education of children to benefit the two generations in having a better future.

“Nais namin i-maximize ang tulong para sa mga ultrapoor na magulang na maging successful na tagapagdaloy ng karunungan sa tahanan hindi lang po pati sa academics kundi pati na sa mga essential attitudes towards education,” ICM Dir. Alegre said.

Furthermore, ICM trained qualified volunteers to mentor parents in engaging with their children through fun educational activities. Children are also equipped with essential skills to be ready for formal education and parents are empowered with the skills to strengthen positive engagement with their children.

ICM also expressed their desire to offer their 10-week home-based parent coaching program for preschoolers and parents through the Family Academy (FA) in Regions IV-B MIMAROPA, 6, 7, 9, and 12.

Region 12 Director Allan Farnazo expressed his gratitude to the ICM in this initiative that will help both parents and learners in studying the self-learning modules provided.

“Today in this time of pandemic, parents who are able to provide, assist, and facilitate learning at home have a better advantage of making learning happen. Knowing the importance, ICM has stepped into providing opportunities in parents to learning and acquiring best knowledge on how to manage the young learners,” said RD Farnazo.

Through this partnership, the Department expressed its intention and openness to work side by side with ICM in providing help, inspiring hope and creating change for families living in extreme poverty in the different areas across the country.

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