Private schools thank DepEd for flexible learning options

Under DepEd Order 44, private schools are provided with various options including “five-day in-person classes; blended learning modality; and full distance learning.” (Pexels photo)

MANILA – The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) thanked the Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday for providing private schools with more flexible options and considering challenging factors in the full transition to in-person classes.

In a statement, COCOPEA Managing Director Joseph Noel Estrada said this shows the “continuing partnership” between the government and the private sector.

“The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA), expresses its gratitude to and commends the decision of the Department of Education to extend the offering of blended and distance learning modalities in the private schools after October 31, 2022,” he said.

Under DepEd Order 44, private schools are provided with various options including “five-day in-person classes; blended learning modality; and full distance learning.”

Estrada said this setup shall be beneficial to learners as complementary to in-person classes.

“With this, the benefits and innovations of these flexible learning modalities can be maximized and utilized by learners and learning institutions,” he added.

With this, the COCOPEA vowed to maintain strong coordination with the DepEd.

“As its steadfast partner, COCOPEA will continue to collaborate with and assist the Department in addressing the various needs in our education sector,” Estrada said.

Requests for exemption

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)-Philippines, meanwhile, called on the DepEd to disclose the number of schools requesting an exemption for the full five-day in-person classes starting Nov. 2.

The ACT said it does not seek the failure of the full implementation of mandatory face-to-face classes, but insisted urgent challenges in schools needed to be addressed first.

“We have received reports that many schools, especially in the National Capital Region and other urban areas, are appealing to be exempted from the 5-day face-to-face classes as their facilities and human resources simply cannot make it happen. While we do not wish for the push for 100% face-to-face classes to fail, it seems that it is where we are heading given the government’s failure to address our problems,” it said in a Facebook post.

According to DO 44, all public schools are required to implement the full five-day in-person classes nationwide, except for several circumstances.

“No public school shall be allowed to implement purely distance learning or blended learning, except for those that are expressly provided an exemption by the Regional Director, those whose classes are automatically canceled due to disaster and calamities,” the DO said.

The DepEd earlier said that schools in disaster-affected areas are currently maximizing alternative delivery modes for their classes, while school buildings are being repaired and temporary learning spaces are being built.

The education department has not disclosed the number of schools requesting exemption, but it has been persistent in its position that pushing for in-person classes will be holistically beneficial for learners.