Policy on learning environment post-pandemic

Sonia R. Pasion

Members of the Philippine Forum for Quality Basic Education (Educ Forum) offered valuable insights on school operational strategies and preparations as the Department of Education (DepEd) implemented pilot faceto-face classes.

According to officials, they are trying to learn more things, more information about going back to school and would like to see the value-added of going back to school for the children, especially the smaller ones.

As they were at home already for the past years, officials want to see that they learn better if they go back to school.

Moving forward, the Department aims to develop policy on the learning environment post-pandemic, which will highlight new standards in the organization of class in the Philippines including class programs, time, allotment, pupil ratio, learning resources, learners’ support for instruction management, and mental health services.

Educ Forum partners from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) noted some crucial points in the success of opening schools in different countries such as social distancing, wearing of masks, investment in WASH facilities, disinfection, sanitation, vaccination of teachers and parents, random and regular testing, and having smaller class sizes and groups, utilizing technology, focusing on marginalized and advantaged learners and families, and continued support and services for learners.

Meanwhile, the District of Columbia State Board Education underscored the need to utilize different channels of communication in the campaigns, given that information changes at a very rapid rate.

They underscored that training, supporting, and investing in teachers is a critical path out of the pandemic. The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) recommended the following agenda for basic education: support for teachers and learners, COVID-19 prevention, monitoring guidelines, addressing learning gaps, and recovery fund.

Officials said resilience in education system must be deepened to respond to the challenges brought by the pandemic, as well as foster an educational environment that continues to address the needs of marginalized and most vulnerable members of the Southeast Asian education system.

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The author is Teacher III at Cristo Rey East Elementary School, Cristo Rey, Capas, Tarlac