By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Due to extreme heat, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has ordered the implementation of “asynchronous classes/distance learning” for all public schools nationwide on Monday (April 8, 2024).
“Sa totoo lang kasi galing tayo sa weekend tapos holiday tayo ng April 9 and 10, minarapat na rin po natin sa DepEd—upon instruction from VP Sara Duterte—na imbes na magkaroon ng in-person classes, ay gamitin na lang na oras para makapaghabol sila sa mga performance task [at] assignment na hindi pa nasusumite,” Undersecretary Michael Poa, DepEd’s spokesperson on Sunday (7 April 2024) announced in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo.
According to the DepEd advisory also released on Sunday, this was made “to allow learners to complete pending assignments, projects and other requirements,”
“It’s best kasi dire-diretso siya from Saturday tapos may holiday tayo ng Tuesday and Wednesday, so maganda ‘yung timing para magamit nila ‘yung panahon para dun sa mga kailangan nilang tapusin,” Poa explained.
The DepEd’s advisory also clarified that teaching and non-teaching personnel in all public schools “shall not be required to report to their stations.”
“Gusto rin natin paalalahanan ang ating mga school head na hindi po dapat natin ire-require ang ating mga teachers pati ang ating mga non-teaching personnel para magreport tomorrow sa kani-kanilang station,” Poa said.
In terms of monitoring whether or not students would use the time given tomorrow to catch up on missed tasks, he said this will be determined if the students manage to submit their missed tasks.
“The main monitoring itself is ‘yung makapagsubmit sila so we leave it all to the teachers naman kung ano ‘yung mga gusto nilang gawin for tomorrow… so hindi naman siguro kailangan na talagang tutukan at bantayan pa kung ginagawa nga ng ating learners ‘yung mga tasks nila,” the DepEd spokesperson said.
DepEd, however, underscored that private schools shall not be covered by the announcement but may opt to follow suit.
Regarding suspensions of in-person classes due to extreme heat, Poa stressed that public schools may do it “at any time.”
(el Amigo/MNM)