DepEd sets continuity measures for schools following ‘lockdown’

MANILA, Philippines — As classes in Metro Manila have been disrupted by government measures against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the Department of Education (DepEd) has come up with a continuity plan for students as the end of school year nears.

DepEd Undersecretary Alain Pascua said the agency will issue a special formula where teachers average the students’ grades for the first three quarters.

Should the students be unsatisfied with their class standing, online tests are also being considered by the agency, Pascua said.

“Yun pong transmutation formula ay i-cocompute yung grado ng mga bata magmula 1st, 2nd at saka 3rd quarter, at ‘yung remaining standing nila,” Pascua explained in a press briefing in Malacañang.

(The transmutation formula is when the students’ grades from 1st, 2nd, 3rd and their remaining standing are computed.)

“Meron mga option na ang mga bata, kung hindi sila magiging satisfied sa kanilang magiging grado, meron pong online examination,” he added.

(The students have an option, should they be unsatisfied with their grades, to have an online examination.)

President Rodrigo Duterte has extended the class suspension in Metro Manila schools until April 12, 2020.

The President also placed the nation’s capital region under “community quarantine” to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Meanwhile, a staggered fourth quarter examination will be imposed in areas where there are no class suspensions to practice “social distancing.”

“Ibig sabihin po, ang mga bata ay pupunta lamang sa eskwelahan next week para lang magtake ng examination pero staggered basis. Kung kailan lang sila magttake ng exam, doon lang sila papasok,” he explained.

(This means the students will only go to school to take the examination but on a staggered basis. They will only go to school when they will take the exam.)

Pascua said graduation rites will also be affected after the region was placed on community quarantine, but the date has yet to be determined.

“Mag-aadjust kami accordingly para lang dito sa Maynila at sa mga areas na may suspension of classes,” Pascua said.

(We will adjust accordingly for the schedule here in Manila and areas where there are class suspensions.)

To date, the country has 52 confirmed cases, including five fatalities, due to COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus that first emerged in China’s city of Wuhan in Hubei province in late 2019.

The virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

EDV