Education Secretary Vice President Sara Duterte shared that one of the questions she raised to President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr during the cabinet meeting on July 19, 2022, was the possibility of the institutionalization of a blended learning mode of instruction and should the Department prepare for it.
Blended learning, which is also known as hybrid learning, technology-mediated instruction, web-enhanced instruction, or mixed-mode instruction, is an approach to education that combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with traditional place-based classroom methods.
In a statement, Duterte said the President agreed that a plan should be made with a caveat that face-to-face classes shall be the priority and blended modalities shall be considered only in specific schools and areas with special circumstances.
Duterte said DepEd will prepare a plan to be reviewed by the President.
“No details are forthcoming anytime soon,” it said.
Meanwhile, Duterte said the requirement of the five-day in-person classes by November 2, 2022, is still in effect.
DepEd recently announced that all public and private schools are mandated to hold face-to-face classes starting Nov. 2, 2022, as indicated in DepEd Order 34, Series of 2022 signed by Duterte.
This is despite calls for reconsiderations due to the risks from Covid-19.
Duterte said DepEd Order 034 has been already approved by the President.
On the other hand, Duterte recently announced that DepEd won’t require public school students to wear school uniforms this school year to ease the financial burdens on parents.
“Even before the pandemic, it is not a strict requirement for public schools to wear uniforms (DepEd Order No. 065, s. 2010) to avoid incurring additional costs to the families of our learners. All the more that it will not be required this School Year given the increasing prices and economic losses due to the pandemic,” Duterte said.