Briones appeals to Duterte: We can’t stop classes now

Education Secretary Leonor Briones appealed to President Rodrigo Duterte to allow the Department of Education (DepEd) to continue its preparation for the new school year based on their road map.

In a briefing on late Monday night, Briones said the DepEd’s target opening of classes would be on August 24.

No face-to-face classes would be held to allow DepEd to continue with its preparations, Briones added.

“Kasi nakabuwelo na kami. If we suddenly be pulled to a stop, baka madapa kami,” she said.

Briones said DepEd has started its road map since May.

“We have to select or identify a date. We can’t keep the people hanging… Several months ago, we consulted nearly 800,000 respondents to what is the appropriate date and August consistently came out,” she said.

The Education Secretary said she already talked to two telecommunication companies regarding the provision of free internet access.

She added those who do not have access to radio, television and the internet will resort to manual learning.

“We are also producing learning modules, but the children should not be getting out to get the manual… We are going to work very closely with LGUs kasi ‘yong mga barangay, sa kanilang mga kiosk ide-deposit ang learning modules. Pi-pick-up-in ng parents then in the afternoon, kung ano ang homework nila, ang teachers naman ang mag-pick-up  at mag-correct,” Briones said.

“It will be a relay of materials kung hanggang manual lang ang makayanan ng isang local government.”

Since the start of the enrollment on June 1, Briones said a total of 10,654,795 learners have enrolled online.

Region IV-A and Region III have the highest number of enrollees, she said. -- BAP, GMA News