It’s all systems go today as schools reopen all over the Philippines, with the Department of Education saying that more than 90% of learning modules have been distributed to teachers in the country.
“Based on our monitoring, we have distributed more than 90%. Based on our commitment [to the schools], all of this has been given away,” Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said today in English and Filipino in an interview with ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.
San Antonio said that learning modules are more appropriate for distance learning than conventional books.
Read: ‘Just Play’: Duterte wants classes postponed until COVID-19 vax becomes available
“In different parts of the world, they use modules for distance learning…You can still use books, but what we want are learning resources appropriate for distance learning, which are modules. But in case not everyone receives them, they can use books,” he said.
“[But] if they use books, there’s more effort involved [when using it for] distance learning, and we are in the middle of a pandemic. We want to give the children the most appropriate learning resource available,” San Antonio added.
President Rodrigo Duterte has said that he wants face-to-face classes postponed until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. The Department of Education implemented blended learning as an alternative, but the method posed almost insurmountable challenges for both teachers and students. For this reason, the government was forced to postpone the resumption of classes from August to this month.
Meanwhile, San Antonio said today that local governments are responsible for suspending classes in cases of inclement weather.
“Mayors and governors are responsible for announcing class suspensions. We suggest that on the day when there is a typhoon, no one will have to study,” the government official said.
