The Department of Education (DepEd) has no authority to stop the community learning hubs of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), according to Secretary Leonor Briones.
Briones on Friday reiterated that the DepEd had not teamed up with the office of Vice President Leni Robredo for the project, which provides a space in local governments for students to use gadgets and connect to the internet for their distance learning classes.
The hubs have volunteer tutors to help the limited number of students who are allowed to use the facilities.
Briones said she issued the clarification that the DepEd had no partnership with the OVP because of news report that gave this impression.
Asked on Friday if the DepEd would put a stop to the OVP’s project, Briones said the department does not have that authority.
“We have no authority to impose any punishment or anything on the OVP because that is not in the mandate of the Department of Education. Maybe another government [agency] should look into that,” she said.
Briones also said there could have been “miscommunication” in the DepEd’s exchange of letters with the OVP.
The OVP had informed the DepEd of the community learning hub project but nowhere in their correspondence did the department say that the OVP was authorized to proceed with the program, she said.
The DepEd had just asked for descriptions and further explanations about the project, she said.
“But we did not give permission,” Briones said, citing the ban on in-person classes.