DepEd to spend P1.2 billion to replace modules damaged by typhoons

The Department of Education will spend P1.2 billion to replace learning module which were washed away by the recent series of floods, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said Tuesday.

“Mag-download tayo ng P1.2 billion para sa mga supplementary learning materials, palitan iyong mga nasisira at saka iyong para for the next quarter, mahanda na ito lahat,” Briones said at a Palace briefing.

Modules are the printed learning materials provided to students in the absence of face-to-face classes amid COVID-19 pandemic

Briones said students and teachers would not be made to pay for the modules destroyed or lost due to the floods.

“Wala sa isip ng national government o sa kay Presidente [Rodrigo Duterte] na ang mga teacher o ang mga learners ang magbabayad nito," Briones said.

"Walang sinasabi ang DepEd na ganoong klaseng polisiya kasi galing sa central office ang perang ito, ida-download na, P1.2 billion for the next term,” she added.

Briones said that the DepEd was considering cutting back on the use of printed modules because it was expensive and not environment-friendly.

“May plea ang Department of Education na unti-unti nating i-reduce ang dependence sa mga printed materials dahil pinapatay natin iyong ating mga gubat, ang kahoy," Briones said.

"Pinaka-expensive na learning material ay itong printed kasi gumagamit tayo ng papel, gumagamit tayo ng tinta, very expensive – not only expensive but very harmful to the environment,” she added.

“Kaya talagang tinitingnan natin iyong ibang paraan ng pag-share ng learning process sa mga bata natin,” Briones said.

Remote classes started on October 5, several weeks later than the initially planned on August 24, to give teachers and students more time to prepare for online and modular distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Online learning requires a gadget and a stable internet connection, while the modular distance learning method provides printed materials to students called modules which they are required to study and answer corresponding assessment tests weekly. -NB, GMA News