DepEd pushes for return of physical work immersion in SHS

Senior high school students at Taliptip National High School in Bulakan town, Bulacan province start the first day of the second semester as the school resumed on Monday its in-person classes two years after community quarantines due to COVID-19 forced the closure of schools. (Photo by Carmela Reyes-Estrope)

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is pushing for the return of physical work immersion in the expansion of in-person classes in senior high school (SHS).

The implementation of SHS physical work immersion, a required subject for the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood track, was earlier suspended due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We are strongly suggesting that Work Immersion should be implemented for the Senior High School learners as they are nearest to accomplishing their postsecondary goals and dreams,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said in a statement on Wednesday.

The DepEd has already created guidelines for work immersion prior to the pandemic, said Education Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio.

San Antonio noted that SHS students can experience actual work related to their chosen specializations through the said immersion.

“‘Yong immersion natin ay kasama sa magiging programa ng ating mga paaralan na babalik sa ating face-to-face classes,” he said.

(The immersion is among the programs of schools that will resume during face-to-face classes.)

“Pero kung saan man sila magkakaroon ng immersion, kung anomang industriya ito, kung anomang tanggapan ay isasailalim sila doon sa mga patakaran na pinaiiral ng IATF,” he added, referring to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

(But wherever they will have an immersion in whichever industry or office, they have to follow the rules of the IATF.)

In the recently approved revised operational guidelines on the progressive expansion of face-to-face classes, DepEd prescribes schools to fully comply with the School Safety Assessment Tool which has been revised to allow more schools to reopen.

Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary for National Academy of Sports and Field Operations Malcolm Garma said that schools undergoing assessments should prioritize the inclusion of SHS students in the expansion of in-person classes.

“Naniniwala tayo na ang Grades 11 and 12 ay kailangang bumalik sa kanilang klase, so ‘yong immersion natin ay kasama sa babalik sa ating face-to-face classes,” he said.

(We believe that Grades 11 and 12 should go back to classes, so immersion is one of the activities that will resume during face-to-face classes.)

“Kung magkakaroon na sila ng immersion sa anomang industriya, isasailalim sila doon sa mga patakaran na pinaiiral ng IATF,” Assistant Secretary Garma emphasized,” Garma added.

(If the schools will have an immersion in whichever industry, the activities will be subjected to the rules being implemented by the IATF.)

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