Education Sec. Leonor Briones. RTVM screengrab
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has not received reports that a significant number of students have dropped out of their schooling due to challenges in distance learning.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Tuesday said she had asked the department’s regional offices to verify reports of a massive dropout of students, especially now that the school year is already on its second term.
“Wala naman reports galing sa mga regions na may mga dropout na marami ng ating mga estudyante. Wala pa kaming basehan na maka-conclude na mayroong massive dropouts,” she said in a Laging Handa public briefing.
(There are no reports coming from the regions that there are massive dropouts of students. We don’t have any basis yet to conclude that there are massive dropouts.)
“Naghihintay kami ng numero sa mga nagsasabi noon, wala naman kaming naririnig na numero. Lahat ng rehiyon pina-report ko last week pa, pinag-confirm namin ‘yung balita na ‘yun, wala kaming nakuha na confirmation,” she added.
(We are waiting for numbers but we don’t get numbers. I instructed all regions to report since last week to confirm reports but we did not get confirmation.)
She said it is “not unusual” that students are slow to return to schools especially after the holidays or after summer vacation.
“Usually after a holiday, like Christmas vacation, or summer vacation, mabagal ang pagbalik ng mga bata with or without Covid, ‘yan kasi magsiuwian galing sa probinsya, marami pang aayusin ang mga bata at kanilang mga pamilya,” Briones said.
(Usually after a holiday, like Christmas vacation or summer vacation, students are slow to return, with or without Covid, because they have to go home from the province, the family still has a lot to do.)
“Hindi naman unusual ‘yan, at saka hindi naman ganun karami,” she added.
(That is not unusual and it is not massive.)