First week of classes to focus on psychosocial counseling— Briones

MANILA, Philippines — The first week of classes will focus on psychosocial counseling of both students and teachers in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, Education Secretary Leonor Briones bared Thursday.

During the joint online hearing of the House committee on basic education and culture, and the committee on higher and technical education, Briones said that the counseling would help the students and teachers cope with the “new kind of learning approaches” that will be used following the health crisis.

“A very interesting feature of Learning Continuity Program is the first week will be dedicated to psychosocial counseling. Our children have to be prepared for the new kind of learning approaches that we are adapting including the teachers,” Briones said, adding that their regional directors have already undergone the counseling.

Briones underscored that stress due to the pandemic may have triggered psychosocial issues which “we don’t notice at all” since the focus is on the economy and health sectors.

“These have triggered psychosocial challenges which we don’t notice at all because right now, the concern is the economy and health but the psychosocial aspects have to be considered so the first week will really be devoted to that,” Briones said.

The education secretary said that the Learning Continuity Program is reviewed regularly and decisions were based on feedback provided from all the regions in the country.

DepEd earlier announced that the opening of classes for the next school year is on August 24, 2020.

This, however, does not necessarily mean that students have to physically report to school as classes may be done virtually in some areas.

“It’s very tough but that is the situation right now and we have to respond. Also, we have the limitations set by law. We cannot go beyond the last day of August for our enrolment,” Briones said.