President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said blended learning would continue in “very specific areas” come November, when most schools will be mandated to fully resume face-to-face classes.
This was a departure from an earlier directive from the Department of Education (DepEd) for all schools to do away with blended learning after Oct. 31.
“We continue with blended learning but only in very specific places. As much as possible, it’s really face-to-face learning,” the President said in a mix of English and Filipino.
“We need to identify which areas will continue with blended learning so we can focus,” Marcos added.
At the same time, Marcos directed the DepEd and other relevant agencies to intensify preparations and planning for the opening of face-to-face classes this year.
During the Cabinet meeting, Marcos asked Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio about her department’s plans to address several challenges such as the availability of classrooms, teachers, and other concerns.
“What we need to do is identify the areas that will have blended learning so we can focus, and prepare the devices and other materials similar during pandemic that have been supplied to the students,” Marcos said.
Other issues mentioned by the President were internet connectivity and the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the country, which is driven by the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus.
He was concerned that those issues might affect the implementation of in-person learning, but he was nevertheless determined to proceed with the plan.
During the same Cabinet meeting, the President directed concerned agencies to rebuild and repair school buildings destroyed by Typhoon Odette last year.
Marcos said the government will be forced to continue carrying out blended learning if major concerns are not addressed, suggesting, however, that the scheme could be done in some areas.
The Education secretary told the President that the DepEd would prepare a plan on what to do beyond Oct. 31.
Citing a recent survey, Duterte-Carpio said the majority of the respondents favored in-person classes for the country’s learners.
After the meeting, Duterte said the DepEd plan would prioritize face-to-face learning, and consider blended modalities for basic education in some instances.
“The President agreed that a plan should be made with a caveat that face-to-face classes shall be the priority and blended modality shall be considered only in specific schools and areas with special circumstances,” she said.
Duterte-Carpio stood pat on the DepEd’s stance to push for mandatory face-to-face classes starting Nov. 2.
The DepEd has yet to draft the plan which will be subjected to Marcos’ review.
During the previous administration, under former Education Secretary Leonor Briones, blended learning was deemed necessary for learners to cope both with the post-pandemic setup and the growing global innovative demand for technological orientation.
ACT Philippines, a group of education workers, said the government must have an “effective and comprehensive plan” in implementing the scheme, including a program for transition into full in-person learning.
“The blended learning set up should also be clear as temporary because it has been proven that for the last two years this type of distance learning is not effective especially for young learners,” Vladimer Quetua, the group’s chairman said.
ACT said the government’s move to pursue blended learning was an admission of the “dire state of the educational system.”
At the same time, the DepEd said its review of the K-12 program is underway.
A recent Pulse Asia survey commissioned by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian showed that 44 percent of Filipinos are dissatisfied with the K-12 system, higher than the 28 percent dissatisfaction rate in a 2019 survey.
Education Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said the review had been ordered even before President Marcos took office.
“I believe they’re now finalizing their assessment and will be proposing revisions any time soon,” Densing told ANC’s Headstart.
Duterte has also ordered a review of Grades 11 to 12, Densing added.