DepEd eyeing blended learning scheme after COVID-19 pandemic

 (INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday recognized blended learning as a “good and valid way” to deliver education as the agency looks into its implementation “after COVID-19,” an official said on Thursday.

 Currently, some 27 million students in the country are under the ‘distance learning’ system where the medium of instruction is through modules and online, as face-to-face classes were suspended to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Blended learning, on the other hand, includes face-to-face instruction, but some of the lessons could be learned at home through online media and modular.

 “Perhaps, after COVID-19, we also recognize, as a good or valid way of delivering basic education services, the so-called ‘blended learning’ where children do not have to come to school everyday,” DepEd Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio said over ABS CBN News Channel. 

 “They can be in fewer classes, with fewer learners so the teachers can pay more attention to them when they do the face-to-face meeting, some part of their lessons could be learned at home,” he added.

“This is the real blended learning that we propose.”

 San Antonio also pointed out that the pilot implementation of face to face instruction “has always been part of the proposals” the DepEd made during cabinet meetings with President Duterte.

 “It’s not going to be abandoned, it’s going to be part of our preparations,” he said. “We’ll start with a pilot before we proceed with a large-scale implementation of face to face classes.”

 President Duterte earlier thumbed down proposals for the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes amid the threat of COVID-19 delta variant. 

“We really have to yield to the idea that, until the so-called ‘herd immunity’ is achieved, it would be really difficult,” San Antonio said, referring to resumption of face-to-face classes.

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