‘School heads may switch to ADM’
THE Department of Education reiterated over the weekend that school heads have the authority and responsibility to suspend face-to-face classes and shift to modular distance learning owing to extreme heat situations exacerbated by power outages in several parts of the country.
Agency spokesperson Michael Poa reminded school authorities of DepEd Order No. 37, series 2022, that provides for a shift to modular distance learning if classes are canceled or suspended “due to natural disasters, calamities, and human-induced hazards” to ensure learning continuity.
Poa showed a copy of a memo issued to public and private school heads dated April 20 that allows the switch to alternative delivery modes (ADM) “in cases of unfavorable weather and environment such as, but not limited to, extremely high temperatures which may considerably affect the conduct of classroom learning and put the learners’ health and wellbeing at risk.”
“Schools have different situations. Thus, school heads should determine what learning mode is best for them. We are concerned about the effect of hot weather on learners’ health. We remind the school heads that they can immediately switch to ADMs,” Poa told reporters.
Weather bureau PAGASA has warned of even warmer days ahead, with the heat index expected to hit 56°C in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, and 50°C in Cabanatuan.
On Thursday, the heat index was at 43°C in Dagupan in Pangasinan and at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.
A survey of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) showed that a huge majority of teachers in the country reported that students are finding it difficult to concentrate on their studies due to “dry season heat.”
Meanwhile, Occidental Mindoro has been placed under a state of calamity due to the 20-hour daily power outage for the last month and a half, according to Governor Eduardo Gadiano on Friday (see related story on A1 – Editors).