Pangasinan schools division II shifts from face-to-face to modules

The Department of Education Schools Division II of Pangasinan has shifted from face-to-face in-person classes to modular distance learning because of the high temperatures in the area.

In a memorandum, Schools Division Superintendent Lorna Bugayong announced the implementation of modular distance learning from April 24 to 29.

"The summer heat has been bringing inconveniences and risks to both the learners and the teachers the past weeks and with the affirmation of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration last March 21, 2023 that warmer temperatures are expected as the warm and dry season begins, there is a felt need to protect the well-being of the learners and the teachers from the extremely high temperatures," the memo read.

"In this regard, all public school heads are directed to implement modular learning and communicate such properly to the parents and the community," it added.

The division scheduled the distribution of ythe learning modules on Monday and their retrieval on Friday.

Private school heads were "enjoined to exercise their discretion in regard this order.

According to Oscar Oida's report on "24 Oras", Cupang Elementary School Annex in Antinpolo will temporarily suspend in-person classes in the afternoon  starting next week.

They will also revert to blended learning, with students attending their classes in shifts.

“Three days so ‘yung mga bata sa bahay lang, magsasagot ng modules. Tapos may two days set A, set B na kung saan ‘yung Set A si teacher tuturuan ‘yung kalahati,” Aaron Surat, CESA Master Teacher 1, said.

(The children will study and answer their modules for three days. There will be two sets of students in the remaining two days, wherein those in set A will be taught by teachers.)

Around 40 students crowd the school’s 20 square meter classrooms, according to the report. To mitigate the effect of the heat, some teachers resorted to alternative remedies.

“May mga exhaust fan, additional electric fans, and constant reminder po sa mga bata to take their water…And sometimes po yung mga teachers bumibili po ng yelo para sa drinking water nila,” CESA Principal Frendie Nerveza said.

(We have additional fans and we remind students to drink water. Sometimes, the teachers also buy ice for their drinking water.) —NB, GMA Integrated News