By Catherin P. Bon
Today, the quality of education has been considered as downgraded. A whole year has already passed since the education sector was forced into a drastic change. To cope with the adversity brought by this pandemic, different modes of distance learning were introduced to deliver education to the learners.
Indeed, this pandemic brought technical issues involving funds, and the lack of resources made it difficult for both teachers and learners to grasp what this new normal education can offer.
Learners and teachers are not the only ones facing hard times. Parents are compelled to become more flexible as they take on a greater role in their children’s education. They have the essential task in connecting the child with the school by submitting accomplished self-learning modules (SLM) and claiming the new ones to be passed the following week, while still carrying the burden of providing for their families amid the pandemic. This, accompanied by other worries, makes it very difficult for some parents to fully accomplish their responsibilities in their child’s learning.
Bayanihan describes Filipinos’ eagerness to help their kababayan in times of need. It can be traced way back to our ancestors and has always been a symbol of compassion for us. In these trying times, there are those who go out of their way to help. More specifically, when Friday comes and modules need to be returned, there are few who step up and offer to help accomplish the child’s educational needs. This can come in the form of ates and kuyas who deliver the modules for their siblings, other parents who offer to deliver the modules along with their child’s, or even barangay officials who set up specific spots where learning materials can be dropped off.
I see these kind-hearted people who value the education of the younger generation as everyday heroes who make up this modern form of bayanihan. They are a testament and proof that kindness always finds its way to prosper even in times of crisis.
The author is Teacher III at Pili Elementary School.