Blended learning OK for Egay-wrecked schools if not repaired by Aug. 29

LAUNCHING OF MATATAG CURRICULUM / AUGUST 10, 2023 Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte leads the launching of DepEd’s MATATAG Curriculum, a recalibrated K to 10 Program at the Sofitel in Pasay City on Thursday, August 10, 2023. (INQUIRER photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday recommended implementing blended learning if classrooms destroyed by Super Typhoon Egay (international name: Doksuri) are not repaired in time for the opening of classes on August 29.

According to Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also the concurrent Department of Education (DepEd) secretary, the blended modality has always been the direction of her department.

“Yung mga tinamaan po ng bagyong Egay, sila po yung priority natin sa budget natin for repair this year,” she said in an ambush interview during a ‘Brigada Eskwela’ program in Manila.

(The ones hit by typhoon Egay will be the priority in our budget for repair this year.)

“Pero kung hindi po umabot yung repairs nila sa opening sa August 29, ay immediately po na i-implement ng ating paaralan yung blended learning program natin dahil wala na pong learning disruption,” said Duterte

(But if the repairs do not make it to the opening on August 29, we will immediately implement blended learning programs in our schools because there is no longer a learning disruption.)

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, who was with Duterte at the event, said the government is doing what it can to fix the classrooms immediately.

“Nung tumama yung bagyo, sinabi namin, ‘ano ang magagawa namin sa isang buwan?’” he recalled.

(When the typhoon hit, we said, ‘What can we do in one month?’)

“So, so far, kung ano yung kaya natin gawin, together with… kasama pa ang ating mga LGU (local government unit), ay ginagawa yung lahat para maayos natin yun mga nasira at patuloy naman dapat ang school-building program,” he said.

(So, so far, what we can do together with local government units… we are doing everything to restore what was destroyed, and the school-building programs should continue.)

“Pero talagang malaking sagabal ng weather natin,” he lamented.

(But the weather has been an obstacle.)

Egay left 196 schools across nine regions destroyed.

This situation comes a month before public schools open on August 29.

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Egay wrecks 169 schools in 9 regions

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