OVP: Learning hubs got welcome from DepEd, do not offer face-to-face classes

The Department of Education (DepEd) did not oppose the establishment of Community Learning Hubs and thought it was a good initiative, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) said Tuesday.

Ibarra Gutierrez, spokesperson for Vice President Leni Robredo, issued the response after Education Secretary Leonor Briones distanced DepEd from the project, saying it is not sanctioned by the department.

“The Community Learning Hubs initiative was coordinated with DepEd every step of the way. In official correspondences between OVP and DepEd, Secretary Briones herself mentioned that 'it is a good initiative' and in fact requested for additional details to evaluate the feasibility of implementing such a program at scale,” Gutierrez said in a statement.

“The Office welcomed DepEd's openness to bring the initiative to more areas and readily provided the details last September 8. Until today, national DepEd did not express any opposition to the initiative, and our Office has in fact been ready for any coordination to scale up the hubs,” Gutierrez added.

“But it is a stretch and it is misleading to say that they knew nothing about this, that this was somehow done contrary to some kind of objection raised by DepEd,” he added.

In an interview on ANC,  Gutierrez stressed again that the DepEd asked for more information on the implementation of the project to study the feasibility of implementing it on a larger scale.

“In other words, implementing it on a nationwide basis. Because it’s clear: OVP does not have the capacity to do so, that’s why we were coordinating with DepEd in the first place,” Gutierrez said.

No face-to-face classes

Briones was responding to the question of presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, Jr. if face-to-face classes is allowed, with Roque claiming that Robredo announced that she has a project with DepEd which allows face-to-face classes for six students at a time.

A statement from the OVP issued on October 20, however, stated that the hubs provide support for students such as free access to computers, gadgets, equipment, internet and tutors, but not face-to-face classes due to the pandemic.

In the same statement, the OVP said that the project is an initiative of OVP, local government units (LGUs) and the private sector.

This was reiterated by Gutierrez on Tuesday.

“It was very clear in our communication to DepEd that the hubs are not meant to be sites for classroom or face-to-face instruction. Instead, it is meant to be a place for students where home-based learning is not conducive to get tutorial support in completing their modules and accessing resources, including the internet,” he pointed out.

“Strict compliance with health protocols is followed in the hubs. There is also proper coordination with DepEd and local government units to ensure a safe and effective learning environment  Local stakeholders where hubs are operational have been supportive, including in Pasig City. For areas where local DepEd has expressed reservations, we did not push through with the implementation, such as in Caloocan City,” Gutierrez added.

Per Gutierrez, there are 11 Community Learning Hubs serving more than 2,000 learners in Luzon and Visayas, spread across different schedules throughout the week to comply with social distancing, with the help of trained volunteers.

“Officials from DepEd are welcome to visit our hubs anytime to see the service being provided, while adhering to strict health protocols,” Gutierrez said.

DepEd's stance 'sudden'

In the ANC interview, Gutierrez stressed that the agency did not raise any objections and only asked for further information.

“So I just find it strange three months later, all of a sudden, there is this effort to try and portray the entire initiative as having been, you know, that DepEd was somehow ambushed by this initiative, that they had no knowledge of this being planned and piloted. That’s not true. They knew all the while,” he said.

Gutierrez added that the OVP will reassess whether to continue the project amid the DepEd’s response.

“We have been dealing with local governments continuously. We have been informing and talking to DepEd locals continuously. So I don’t know whether that will change now,” he said.

“[N]ow that you have the Cabinet secretary saying, you know, 'We never approved this, the implication being maybe you shouldn’t go through with it.' Then we’ll have to reassess whether that’s something that we can still push through,” he added.

Gutierrez also lamented the possible closure of the project. The hubs provide free access to computers, gadgets, equipment, the internet, and tutors.

“Pero sayang lang. The point is, this has actually proven to have actually helped a lot of students, particularly those who do not have access to online resources,” he said. — with Joahna Lei Casilao/BM, GMA News