Test runs for blended learning successful in 500 schools

As the opening of classes is near, the Department of Education (DepEd) has successfully conducted blended learning simulations in over 500 public schools nationwide.

Photo credit: pna.gov.ph

With more than 23.2 million students expected to go back to school this new normal, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said preparations for the opening of classes are in full swing. 

Briones said during a press briefing at Malacañang that they had conducted more than 500 simulations and testing if blended education will work. She said the DepEd sees it will work despite not having face-to-face classes at this time of pandemic.

The new school year will formally begin in more than 40,000 public elementary and high schools nationwide. Classes will be conducted through different distance learning modalities, including the use of modules, internet, television and radio to deliver educational content.

The 23.2 million enrolled students this year represents 83.58% of the enrollment last year. Some 21.5 million have signed up in public schools, representing 95.57% of last year’s enrollment, while only 1.59 million enrolled in private schools or around 37.1% of last year.

In earlier reports, the simulation enabled DepEd to resolve issues involving the blended learning setup.

“There were problems but these were resolved,” she said, noting that they would not be caught by surprise in case an issue arises during the implementation of the blended learning approach.

In the next weeks before class starts DepEd will prioritize the production of modules and other learning materials that will be used by students. As to initial results of the learner enrollment survey showed that most parents prefer the use of printed or digital modules instead of other distance learning modalities.

A data presented during a Senate hearing on Wednesday showed that 82 out of 214 school division offices have completed printing more than 50 percent of the modules needed for the first quarter of school year 2020-2021. The remaining 132 division offices have printed less than half of the first quarter requirement.