DepEd ready for opening of classes on Oct. 5

The Department of Education (DepEd) is ready for the scheduled opening of classes on Monday, October 5, Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said on Saturday.

"Naniniwala kaming handa na kami," San Antonio said in an interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

"Kasama sa pagiging handa ang paghahanda rin sa contingencies," he added.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this school year 2020-2021 will use a combination of methods, from online classes and printed learning modules to use of TV and radio.

"Nationwide, 59% ng mga mag-aaral sa bansa ang gagamit ng printed module. Twenty percent ang online, habang 20% din ang offline digital. 'Yung TV at radyo ay magiging supplemental para maging blended ang learning sa ibang lugar," San Antonio said.

The DepEd official said they are aware that some people may not understand what to do in distance learning.

"May mga namomonitor tayo na hindi pa nauunawaan na ang distance learning ay hindi lang online... Hindi iaasa sa online mode," San Antonio said.

"'Yung mga mag-aaral na walang gadget ay mabibigyan ng printed module," he clarified.

The number of enrollees in private and public schools has reached 24.72 million, DepEd Undersecretary Tonisito Umali said on Saturday during the Laging Handa briefing.

"As of Friday, we already have 22.5 million public school enrollees, at 'yan po ay humigit kumulang 99.68 percent of the number of enrollees that we've got for SY 2019-2020 na nasa humigit kumulang ay 22,572,923," Umali said.

"Kung isasama ang private school, meron na tayong 2.60 million na naiuulat sa atin. Mahigit na po 'yan sa 50 porsyento," he added, with some private schools yet to submit their records on the number of enrollees.

Around 398,000 students previously studying in private schools have transferred to public schools, San Antonio said.

"Sabi ni Secretary Liling (Briones), 'pag nagkakaroon ng crisis, unang naaapektuhan 'yung mga nasa private," San Antonio said.

Meanwhile, some 2 million previously enrolled in public schools have not yet enrolled, he added.

San Antonio said enrollment will continue even after classes have started on Monday, until the first periodical grading period, which is around the last week of November.

Meanwhile, he appealed to parents to take an active role in their children's learning, ensuring they attend online classes or complete the modules.

"Ang una po, sa mga magulang, lalo na ang mga hindi teacher, yakapin natin ang bagong mga papel na ito," San Antonio said.

"Nabago nga po ang mga papel natin. Para sa mga anak, buksan natin ang mga isip, bagong papel na gagampanan hanggang may COVID-19," he added. —KG, GMA News