DepEd steps up support for 23K Filipino learners in Middle East

The Department of Education (DepEd) has stepped up support for more than 23,000 Filipino students and educators in the Middle East, as regional tensions force Philippine Schools Overseas (PSOs) to shift to online learning.

In a statement, the DepEd said it recently held a virtual dialogue with school administrators, teachers, and learners across 27 PSOs in the region to check on their welfare and ensure learning continuity.

The session, dubbed “Online Kumustahan,” allowed DepEd officials to directly address concerns from school heads, including crisis communication protocols and adjustments to academic delivery under host country regulations.

The agency said all 27 PSOs in the Middle East have shifted to online learning since March as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students and personnel.

The discussions were facilitated by Assistant Secretary for Operations Jocelyn Andaya and Private Education Office Director Runvi Manguerra, who also outlined measures to sustain education delivery during the crisis.

Officials of the Association of Philippine Schools Overseas (APSO) led by its president Dr. Noemi Formaran welcomed the initiative, saying it provided a platform for coordination and clearer communication.

“Thank you for holding this session. It was a truly enlightening discussion,” Formaran said.

DepEd said similar “Online Kumustahan” sessions will be conducted regularly to maintain coordination and provide updates to schools abroad.

PSOs are DepEd-recognized institutions that implement the Philippine basic education curriculum overseas. These schools serve Filipino learners abroad and help prepare them for eventual reintegration into the local education system.

Currently, PSOs operate in at least 10 countries, mostly in the Middle East, serving more than 25,000 learners.

The DepEd said the initiative also aims to identify the needs of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families and ensure continued government support during the ongoing crisis.

The dialogue follows its broader efforts to assist displaced educators, including the “Sa Pinas, Ikaw ang Ma’am at Sir” (SPIMS) program, which provides teaching opportunities in the Philippines for returning licensed OFW teachers.

Since 2014, the program has helped integrate over 11,000 teachers into the public school system. — JMA, GMA News