DepEd to showcase readiness in school opening kick-off

Clarita A. Natividad

THE School Year 2020-2021 will be welcomed by the National School Opening Day Program on October 5, 2020, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

The program, which will be headlined by Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, will start with a nationwide simultaneous flag-raising ceremony by 7:30am. The Education secretary will give an inspirational message and formally declare the opening of the new school year amidst the challenges in education brought by the pandemic.

In a briefing last week, the secretary said the school opening will be a celebration, a declaration of victory, and a declaration of continuity of education whatever challenges we are facing.

Education, she said, will continue, and the children will continue learning, and parents will continue supporting the department. The government, the teachers, and all are involved in this effort and this will be the biggest victory of all at this time of the pandemic.

DepEd’s executive committee members, and service and bureau directors will be in full force on the ground and are scheduled to give live updates on the implementation of distance learning during the first day of classes in the different field offices or schools they will visit.

Panels related to the opening of classes and the implementation of the Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) will also be featured, including Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE), Health and Safety Protocols, and Education Continuity.

Part of the program is a discussion on the Health and Safety protocols in place for the SY 2020-2021 together with field officials. Meanwhile, there will also be updates and clarifications on confusions on the conduct of distance learning.

Finally, there will be a discussion tackling pressing matters of the Department for the school year. Filipino teachers will also be honored during the program as part of the celebration of World Teachers’ Day and National Teachers’ Month.

The program will be livestreamed at DepEd Philippines and in various partner government institutions and media organizations in social media.

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The author is Teacher III at Fortuna Elementary School, Floridablanca West

District, Pampanga