MANILA – Education Secretary Leonor Briones during the live press briefing with President Rodrigo R. Duterte on May 28, said that the Department of Education (DepEd) was recommending the “Blended Learning” modality in the coming school year 2020-2021.
According to Sec. Briones, under this particular mode, the learners will have to learn their lessons in various learning delivery modalities or ways of learning like the use of online distance learning (ODL) through the internet, TV and radio; through modular distance learning (MDL) that uses printed reading materials, or both, depending on the situation in the locality.
“Matagal na naming ginagamit ang sistemang ito, ngunit ngayon lang na nabigyang diin dahil sa sitwasyon ng Covid-19 pandemic,” (We have been using this system for a long time but it is only now that it is being given more attention because of the Covid-19 pandemic), Sec. Briones said.
But while the Blended Learning may be viable, some educators are concerned with the capacity of poor students and teachers to acquire computers and have access to the online distance learning. Emmanuel Leyco, president of Pamantasan ng Lungson ng Maynila (PLM) said in an interview with Inquirer.net that free internet and computers have now become essential to education. He believes that online distance learning may be the only way to study while the threat of local Covid transmission exists.
Leyco further said that government assistance would be of great help to reduce expenses brought about by the so-called new normal. He said “The economic stimulus that is being drawn now should facilitate the building of massive information technology and free access to the internet and free distribution of computers to the poor”.
Meanwhile, Sec. Leonor said during the same press briefing with the president that based on a DepEd survey, about 80-25 percent of all public school teachers in the country have their own or have access to computers and laptops. This situation makes it easier for the government to pursue the online distance learning using the internet. The DepEd has to concentrate in filling the gaps of remaining teachers and students who have no computers and laptops, as well as good internet connectivity, free of charge, as suggested by the PLM president.
