DepEd’s two-pronged approach for learning continuity

Edna Roque Gutierrez

THE Department of Education has emphasized its two-pronged approach in learning continuity to ensure that education will not be defunded during the adjustment and recovery period.

During the 2020 Global Education Meeting Extraordinary Session on Education PostCOVID-19, the DepEd described its approach as two-pronged: Emphasize that learning delivery in a safe manner is possible; and show that safe learning continuity in the time of COVID-19 constitutes necessary and sound investment for education transformation for the future.

The DepEd noted that the challenge for the education sector is to defend learning continuity since there are sections of society that are predisposed to taking a position that “education can wait.”

The agency has cited the support of various government and private partners at the national and local level to safely open School Year 2020-2021, amidst the very challenging circumstances that the Department had to go through to adjust its operations due to the pandemic.

According to the agency, the resumption of learning for the children at this time is no small feat, as it was not easy to reconfigure learning delivery from physical classrooms to distance learning under various modalities.

Learning continuity, the DepEd stressed, establishes significant investment for the future. The agency has three innovations it is pursuing namely: (1) Technologies for remote learning; (2) Reframing the curriculum; and (3) ‘Smartifying’ learning spaces and resources.

Reframing the curriculum is necessary, the DepEd said, to prioritize essential/crosscutting knowledge, skills, and mindsets, including 21st Century Skills, durable skills, and capacities that can help confront the future.

It is also timely to expand learning environments and resources in light of the COVID19 pandemic, and with the emergence of virtual and informal spaces, the DepEd added.

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The author is Principal II at Potrero National High School, Bacolor District,

Bulaon Resettlement, City of San Fernando, Pampanga