Giving out of learning materials to public schools in Metro Manila started by DepEd

On Tuesday, the Department of Education (DepEd) started delivering learning materials to its public school students. According to Malcolm Garma, director of the DepEd's National Capital Region (NCR) office, delivering of the learners packages ahead of time will give the department longer period to prepare for the opening of classes which was scheduled on October 5.

Garma said in a virtual press briefing,

We have scheduled the actual distribution of the learner packages starting September 1 and would last up until September 15.

In NCR, we would like to do the delivery of the learner packages as early as possible so we can prepare better for the opening of classes.

Garma said DepEd-NCR was prepared to deliver modules even if the capital region would be placed under strict community quarantine statuses. NCR is the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Photo credit: philstar.com

Garma added that teachers and non-teaching personnel who will physically report to offices for the delivery of learning materials must undergo medical screening first.

In earlier reports, DepEd is seeking the help of local governments units (LGUs) in distributing learning modules for students. The delivery of learner packages comes even as some school division offices (SDOs) in Metro Manila have yet to finish printing the self-learning modules (SLMs).

According to Garma, of the 16 school division offices, half are 80% to 100% finished in the printing and production of modules, while 4 are 50% to 70% percent complete. Data from DepEd-NCR also showed that the 16 school division offices have achieved more than 100% of their target enrollment rate for the coming school year.

Schools are allowed to use other learning materials aside from the printed self-learning modules as long as it is in line with the revised basic education curriculum.

NCR is one of the regions with most number of registered students along with neighboring Calabarzon and Central Luzon. NCR have over 2 million enrollees in public school as of August 28.