EDUCATION AMIDST THE PANDEMIC

Maricel M. Pineda

“Education cannot wait, If learning stops, we will lose human capital.“(UNESCO 2017) As our country and the entire world continue to face the challenges brought about by the pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) is addressing these issues in the basic education through the Learning Continuity Plan (LCP), which will be in effect this incoming School Year. The LCP is our major response in ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of the students, teachers, and personnel in this time of COVID-19/

The class disruption has compelled all education stakeholders to accept the fact that what matters is not the completion of the written curriculum coverage but the recognition of students’ diverse needs and the discovery of possibilities to meet those needs through different learning resources. This is the reason why certain competencies were merged and rephrased to be more concise.

The learning-from-home mode has suddenly changed the roles of teachers, students and parents/guardians. In particular, due to the shift to online and modular learning, students are now taking more of an initiative in their own education and learning process. Moreover, parents would have to play an active role in the learning process. They would be the one to facilitate and guide their children through the modular lessons that would be sent to students while doing distance learning.

The need for independent learning requires that teachers will shift on being designers and facilitators of learning. Teacher’s primary task this time is to guide students through distance learning. Teachers use technology to perpetuate the need of the educational system. Therefore, professional development is a must for teachers not only to learn the skills but also to integrate the newly acquired skills into a sound pedagogy.

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The author is Teacher III at Cutcut Elementary School, Division of Angeles

City