Teachers, parents express difficulties over dry run on the distribution of modules in Lanao Del Norte

Stanley Butalid, a teacher at Tipolo Elementary School carries printed modules for his students while crossing the creek of Kapatagan. He makes sure that the modules won't be drenched as he tries to deliver it to two students living in a farm.

Photo credit: cdodev.com

To reach his students' home, he has to cross a mountain, a grassy field and walk 2 kilometers since his motorcycle was stolen. He even intends to stay at their school grounds starting in October instead of going home to his hometown which is in another town, to make sure he can guide and help his students just in case they do not understand the module.

The distribution of modules and distance learning dry run happened on September 12 to 18. Based from what Butalid has experienced, he said that it requires a lot of hard work. One of the biggest challenges he sees in distance learning is how will the parents teach their children.

Marami ang hindi nasagutan sa module dahil hindi rin alam ng magulang. Yung ibang magulang, no read no write, hindi matututukan ang pag-aaral ng mga bata dahil kailangan rin magtrabaho sa sakahan,

said Butalid.

[Many weren't answered in the modules because even the parents do not know how. Other parents are don't know how to read or write, some could not concentrate on their children's education because they have to work on the farm.]

With his current situation he still need to tutor his students as well as ask help from the neighbors who have graduated from high school.

Sana huwag isipin ng mga tao na hindi na kami maghihirap sa pagtuturo dahil inaasa sa mga magulang,

Butalid added.

[I hope that people won't think that we will not have difficulty in teaching because we depend on the parents now.]

For abled parents, they bought a handheld radio to communicate with the teachers at school. Butalid worried if they will be able to keep up with distance learning until the end of the school year.

They need 20 reams of bond paper for the printing of modules in one-week for 95 students. They even asked their friends and relatives for donations so that parents won't have to spend. It is also embarrassing if they will continue to ask for donations.

DepEd ordered the dry run to find out what problems will arise and find a solution before the start of school next month.

On the other hand, in the town of Kapatagan, teachers from Darumawang Bucana Elementary School have to cross a sea and a bamboo made bridge just to reach a separated community from the town because of fish cages made near them. They still continue distributing the printed modules even though high tide reaches them.