(Eagle News) – The Department of Education (DepEd) said it is preparing for the opening of classes for the next school year on August 24 and addressing challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic by setting up what it called the “Learning Continuity Plan.”
“As we continue to confront the issues brought about by the pandemic, we in the Department of Education (DepEd) are addressing challenges in the basic education through the Learning Continuity Plan (LCP), which will be in effect by the time School Year 2020-2021 opens on August 24, 2020, the department said in a statement.
DepEd said that they expect a “grueling transition” as they face challenges brought by the virus pandemic.
But it said that the health of the learners is of utmost importance.
The Learning Continuity Plan (LCP), DepEd said, takes into account, the new normal where children or learners do not have to be inside a classroom.
“On school opening, we would like to emphasize that it will not necessarily mean that teachers and learners will undergo the traditional in-classroom set-up by August this year,” DepEd said in a statement.
“In the LCP, the choice and contextualization of the learning delivery modality of schools will depend on the local COVID-19 situation as well as access to certain learning platforms,” it said.
DepEd said that even as they set policies in the central office, “we will primarily consider local public health conditions in adjusting our LCP.”
-Preventive measures for COVID-19-
“Preventive measures will be put in place to secure the health and well-being of our personnel and our learners under this new normal,” the DepEd statement said.
DepEd describes the LCP is its “major response” and its “commitment in ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of our learners, teachers, and personnel in the time of COVID-19 while finding ways for education to continue amidst the crisis for the upcoming school year.”
“We expect a grueling transition and we will need the help and support of all our stakeholders. There will be birth pains in this path but we look forward in having our teachers, our parents, our learners, and our communities as allies who will work with us to provide valuable insights and
contributions,” DepEd said in a statement.
“Putting it into perspective, we have delayed the opening of classes to ensure that our learners and teachers are given time and be properly equipped to adjust to this new learning environment,” it said.
-Collaboration-
In crafting the LCP, DepEd said that it has repeatedly consulted and collaborated with its partner institutions and organizations.
The LCP includes the following:
-key features on K-12 curriculum adjusments;
-alignment of learning materials;
– various modalities of delivery; and
-corresponding teacher and parent/guardian training for homeschooling
“These modifications on certain policies and practices were necessary steps in adapting to the “new normal” while still remaining true to the framework of Sulong EduKalidad and Education Futures,” DepEd said in a statement.
The education department said that its policies will be “continuously guided by science and by the advice of our health experts.”
“Education can and must continue but only under the conditions and health protocols set by the DOH and the World Health Organization (WHO),” it added.
(Eagle News Service)
