Passing of students still based on teacher's assessment, no automatic passes or promotion- DepEd

On Thursday, the Department of Education (DepEd) said that there will be no automatic pass or promotion to a higher grade level for students this upcoming school year despite the difficulty of no face-to-face classes amid the continuous threat of COVID-19.

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In the virtual hearing of the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture, Quezon City Representative Precious Castelo asked the DepEd if all students enrolled for the upcoming school year will pass including those who will only rely on television or radio learning.

Education Undersecretary Tonisito Umali answered that DepEd is formulating guidelines on how to assess the learning of students even if they are only getting their lessons from self-learning modules or through the means of TV, radio, or the Internet. He said,

Kung ang konsepto nung pagpasa na pinag-uusapan natin is automatically being promoted from one grade level to a higher grade level, walang ganun na mangyayari.

[If the concept we're talking about is automatically promoting students from one grade level to a higher grade level, nothing like that happens.]

Umali said that passing of students will still base on teacher's assessment and students will still be given grades every grading period. He added,

Magkakaroon ng guidelines on how we will assess our learners, at 'yun 'yung magiging basehan kung paano natin bibigyan ng grado ang mga bata. So walang awtomatikong papasa,

[We will be having guidelines on how we will assess our learners, and that will be the basis on how we will give grades to students. So, there will be no passing (of students) automatically.]

Education Assistant Secretary Alma Ruby Torio said they are already in the process of creating the guidelines for assessment but they are still consulting with the DepEd regional directors before submitting to their executive committee for approval.

Torio reiterated that students without mobile devices doesn't mean students can't continue learning. DepEd have modules, it is considered the foundation of learning. As well as the basis in making ditigize materials like radio scripts and TV episodes.

Opening of classes on August 24 will push through even though some areas have reverted to modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) said DepEd.