Over 2,400 learner support aides hired – DepEd

The Department of Education (DepEd) has hired more than 2,400 learner support aides (LSAs) to provide assistance to public school teachers during the conduct of blended learning education this school year, an official said on Friday.

The LSAs, according to DepEd, will work in collaboration with teachers to address the needs of students who cannot manage independent learning or those who do not have a household member who can provide instructional support.

They will also be tapped to support households with parents and guardians with full-time jobs who may not be able to monitor and guide the child’s learning at home.

During a press briefing on Friday, Education Undersecretary Jesus Mateo clarified that the LSAs will not replace or duplicate the functions of teachers as they will only render assistance in lesson preparation, delivery and assessment of progress and achievement.

While they can serve as tutors as part of their function to guide learners, their primary function is to assist the teachers.

“Teachers remain to be the main facilitators of learning and instruction,” DepEd said in a briefer on the LSA program. “Due to different learning modalities implemented, the means of communication by which learning is conveyed to learners has become complex, thus require support of LSAs,” it added.

The total number of LSAs that will be hired has yet to be determined.

Based on a policy issued last week, they will be hired depending on the needs identified by a school in terms of additional manpower, such as in the production of learning materials and the distribution and retrieval from learners of the supplementary activity sheets and other exercises.