Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 9) — The Department of Education is looking to tap volunteers and education graduates to support the delivery of quality education amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said Tuesday that while they believe there are many parents who will play a larger role in the education of their children under the new normal, many others have said they are willing to help.
“Gagamit tayo ng mga volunteers, mga education graduates or teacher applicants, or licensed teachers na wala pang trabaho na willing maging bahagi sa pagpapatuto sa mga bata habang sila ay nag-aaral sa mga bahay,” San Antonio said in an interview.
[Translation: We will use volunteers, education graduates or teacher applicants, or licensed teachers who are still looking for work and are willing to help educate children as they study at home.]
“May mga local governments, siempre hindi naman lahat, na nagsabi na okay silang magbigay ng honorarium para kaunting financial na benepisyo rin sa mga tutulong doon sa mga pamilya na ang magulang ay nagtatrabaho o walang kakayahang magbigay ng gabay sa pag-aaral ng kanilang mga anak.”
[Translation: There are local governments, of course not all of them, who say they are okay to provide an honorarium, so there is some financial benefit for those helping families wherein the parents are working or unable to provide guidance for their children’s education.]
“Schools are expected to coordinate with LGUs in recruiting volunteer home learning facilitators who are preferably college or education graduates, and willing to undertake an orientation,” San Antonio said in a text message.
“When they visit homes, they are expected to observe the health protocols on social distancing and wearing of masks.”
The Department of Education on Monday complied with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to postpone face-to-face classes until a vaccine for COVID-19 becomes available.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the department is ready to take on the challenges of offering alternatives to physical classes, such as online and “blended” learning.
San Antonio said that school principals will have to determine which modality best suits each teacher, adding that not all teachers will be asked to teach online.
Supervisors, specialists and master teachers will be in charge of making the self-learning modules, which will be delivered to students without access to online classes, San Antonio added.
The Department of Education and Presidential Communications Group are also planning the use of government radio and TV stations to deliver distance learning to far flung areas.
“Pero alam natin na limited ‘yung reach so makikipag coordinate din po tayo sa ibang private commercial stations,” San Antonio said.
[Translation: But we know the reach is limited so we are also coordinating with private commercial stations.]
[Translation: There is also a proposal from some schools to operate their own radio stations, and they are asking for support from the Department of Eduation to hasten the process, so they can secure the permits needed from government agencies.]
DepEd earlier released the calendar for the next school year, with classes slated to begin this August 24, and expected to end in April 2021.
San Antonio said as of Tuesday morning, about 7.28 million students have enrolled in public and private schools for the 2020-2021 school year, with most of them coming from Metro Manila, Region 4-A or CALABARZON, and Central Luzon.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases previously recommended moving the opening of classes to September to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
The bill seeking to give the President the power to move the school year opening beyond August during a state of emergency is now up for Duterte’s signature.
San Antonio later clarified that schools division offices in coordination with the local government units will be in charge of recruiting volunteers in areas where they are needed.
“Meron ding proposal ang ibang mga paaralan na pwede silang mag-operate ng sariling radio stations, ang hinihingi sila sa DepEd ay suporta para mapabilis ang proseso na magkaroon sila ng permisyo sa mga angkop na ahensiya ng pamahalaan.”
