Pandemic and the Academe

Harold R. Mungcal

Academe is one of the places in which most of us spent the entire day studying and learning. Most often than not, it is a place in which we get to meet so many people of different personalities who will eventually leave impact in our life. As a place of learning for both children and young adults, it is very important to assure the safety of those who are in these institutions.

Comes the now global pandemic, Covid-19, what seems to be normal to every school and university will now change dramatically. As the virus is said to be passed through close interaction and through coughing or sneezing, social distancing has been implemented and now considered as the new normal. Even the academe adjusted just to make sure of the safety of the students and its working force.

Given this, alternative learning modalities are adopted by the academe to avoid cancelling the opening of classes for School Year 2020-2021. For some, they have distance broadcast learning in which they will be producing television programs relevant to the lessons that should be taught in the schools. Modular Learning will also be an implemented to one way to be adopted, wherein students will be given modules to answer at home with the help of parents. In addition, the use of internet will also supplement the broadcast and modular modalities especially in doing follow ups and giving assistance to the students as the need arises.

With these options we refer to as Learning Continuity Plan, the academe is hopeful of a successful school year amidst the health pandemic we are facing today. Although there is a window for weaknesses in this strategy, such as how to maintain the attentiveness and focus of the students using the broadcast media as medium and the retention of the information being shared, the educational institutions has positive outlook on the outcome of this new modality of learning. Also, for modular learning, working parents and those who are not privileged enough to attain education in their younger years are most likely to be the downside of this technique. However, still, the academe aims for stronger partnership and cooperation between students, teachers and parents.

Sudden shift and changes to our education system is something we are really surprised of. This global health pandemic, Covid-19 virus have really brought something that will affect our lives for our entire lifetime not unless, a vaccine will be discovered soon. The question is, can we sustain these distance-based learning modalities? Only if , as I see it, this will be possible if the students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders within the academe works hand-in-hand to attain the objectives of carrying out the new normal in our education system.

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The author is Administrative Assistant II at San Nicolas ES, Arayat East