Private schools are allowed to implement a blended learning modality and versatile teacher training to chop expenses amid the nationwide energy crisis, in line with the Department of Education (DepEd).
“We understand the challenges our private schools are facing,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in a news release on Thursday.
“We wish to offer them the flexibleness to administer rising operational costs while protecting the standard of learning,” he added.
While face-to-face learning stays the “default mode” amongst schools, the DepEd memorandum dated Tuesday allows alternative arrangements for personal schools.
The blended learning modality under the brand new memorandum allows private schools to proceed five-day face-to-face classes or mix them with distant synchronous or asynchronous learning, provided they follow the prescribed model and inform their Schools Division Office at the very least five days before implementation.
“Regional and division offices have been directed to watch how the adjusted learning modalities are implemented in private schools,” the department said in the identical news release on Thursday.
Reports from the private sector must include revised class schedules and plans to make sure learning continuity amongst students.
The memorandum noted that personal school students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 can have once-a-week distant classes to “protect foundational literacy and numeracy development”.
Meanwhile, junior and senior highschool students may join classes remotely two days and three days every week, respectively.
Flexible formats, including online, asynchronous, or hybrid, for teacher training and skilled development are also encouraged by the agency to attenuate travel and energy consumption.
“The flexibleness will remain in effect while the national energy emergency is in force,” the department said.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. declared a State of National Emergency Crisis last Mar. 24, following the nation’s lowering oil supply resulting from the continuing war within the Middle East. — Almira Louise S. Martinez