UNDER COVID-19

FOURTH District Rep. Christopher de Venecia is not in favor of the suggestion to forgo classes next school year because of the threat of COVID-19 but wants all the necessary issues to be ironed out first before classes are finally opened August 24 this year.

This was conveyed by De Venecia during the last hearing conducted by the committee on basic education in Congress.

In that hearing, he asked DepEd officials about the Multi-Modal Form of Learning they are preparing under the “new normal” to be implemented while under the COVID-19 threat.

Rep. Christopher de Venecia with girl scouts and students in the Fourth District of Pangasinan.

At the same time, De Venecia suggested that a dry run of the approved system and policies be held sometime in July before the scheduled classes open on August 24 in order to resolve all the issues anticipated in implementing the new methodology of teaching under the “new normal.”

Congressman De Venecia stressed that it is urgently necessary to make certain it works while not risking the lives of students and teachers during this period of the pandemic.

He said the methodology should discourage the usual face-to-face learning between teachers and students in classrooms as the protocol for social distancing requires.

He suggested among others, for DepEd to adopt a policy that will require only half of the normal occupancy of the classroom be allowed for particular days,  specifically the adoption of an alternating schedule wherein half of the class will be in school while the other half will be at home studying their lessons and helping their parents with home chores.

He said an online teaching platform can also be done with the help of telecommunication companies wherein students can log in online, interact with their teachers online as well as access the learning module online.

This is being done in many countries and also being implemented during lockdown because of COVID-19 and have been successful, he said.

But De Venecia also noted that this may be not be fully feasible since not all students have computers and Internet connection at home and those who have may not have access to an efficient service and, therefore, not functional.

He is optimistic that the right policy and structure will be established by the Department of Education knowing that it is also closely coordinating with different local television and radio stations as possible medium to help teach students in far-flung areas where Internet is not accessible. (Leonardo Micua)

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