Headline
DepEd identifies strategies to fund learning continuity program
MANILA – The Department of Education has identified strategies to fund the Basic Education-Learning Continuity Program (BE-LCP) for the incoming school year.
Apart from the use of the Special Education Fund (SEF) in coordination with the local government units (LGUs), the department said the fund for the BE-LCP would come from the recalibration or reprogramming of the department’s budget through the alignment and modification of its programs, activities and projects.
It will also make use of available balance of the school maintenance and other operating expenses; enhanced partnerships with Development Partners and access to Official Development Assistance; enhanced Brigada Eskwela and maximized private sectors contributions; and request to the Department of Budget and Management or Congress for a supplemental budget.
“The internal reprogramming of existing programs and projects is the major funding source for the BE-LCP. With it, the DepEd Central Office will download funds to regions and School Division Offices for the development and production of self-learning materials, and implementation of the blended learning delivery,” the DepEd said in a statement Tuesday.
It made the clarification in response to Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla’s concern on the LGU funding of the BE-LCP, through an open letter on his Facebook page addressed to Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Monday.
Remulla said his local government would need to prepare PHP5 billion to implement the modular teaching or learning process for its 600,000 learners and that DepEd would not provide any financial contribution for its implementation.
“We appreciate Gov. Remulla for putting education as a priority investment and for sharing the same vision with DepEd: that education must continue despite the crisis we are facing to this day. We look forward to a strong partnership with our local government officials as we strive to promote Bayanihan in overcoming the challenges of the upcoming school year,” the DepEd said.