COVID-19 pandemic is a litmus challenge for the Department of the Education. Many schools rapidly transitioned to online learning from the usual settings due to this situation that were enforced. With these heavily-charged situations, it is really hard to imagine and ensure that the teachers, parents/guardians, and students at home are ready for the opening of the school year or not. For sure, nothing will enter and stick into their minds since they are hungry, worried, and anxious.
The Schools Division Office of Bulacan, in collaboration with its internal and external stakeholders continue to stand and walk its promise of commitment to provide quality education, in all situations. In this view, the schools division office proactively initiates several practices which could be a best fight against COVID-19’s harm in education.
First is the preparation of learning continuity plan which is based from careful observations in the situation. This entails surveys conducted by the schools administrators from teaching to non-teaching personnel, students, and parents which is used as bases for crafting concrete plans for the upcoming school year 2020-2021.
Secondly, teachers are vigilant in terms of their next steps in the battle. They retreat and initiate attending seminars and training in order to sharpen their saw by upgrading themselves for the new normal education. While the DepEd central office is doing its best to extend its arm to send modules at schools, yet, teachers in the division has been preparing various modules for alternative delivery modes for each grade levels such as supplementary learning materials and self-learning kits. Funds are coming from school MOOE and Special Education Fund for the reproduction.
Third is the initiative to do simulation of online classes being conducted by schools. This is one of the schools division’s best practice since the preparation of the modules and other learning materials are useless if these cannot be delivered and implemented successfully. Beside teachers’ ICT proficiency, technicalities, and ICT facilities are also deemed necessary.
Lastly, the top management believes that this pandemic opens a stronger school community and external partnerships especially with the parents and guardians. In doing this, schools create opportunities that can teach parents how to navigate the online learning environment, guide their children as they learn online, and even, nourish their children’s curiosity at home. In this view, teachers has been conducting webinars and other means to communicate and orient with them about procedures and guidelines on how to direct their children as classes go on once the schools year has started.
SDO-Bulacan stands on the truth that growth mindset, appreciation of mistakes, and being resilient are important life lessons that it can impart to students at this of the pandemic. Teaching them to empathize with other people and challenging them to help the other members of the society can make the new normal more bearable, and imbie the spirit of “Magigiting na Bata ng Republika ng Pilipinas.”