DepEd to schools: Reduce workload of teachers, students; provide psychosocial interventions

The Department of Education (DepEd) has requested schools to lessen the burden of students and teachers, suggesting that they must not require them to do tasks outside instructional management and that they need to provide psychosocial interventions.

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The department issued a memorandum dated October 30, which asked schools to value more on instructional tasks of teachers rather than weigh them down with printing and distribution of learning modules to help reduce stress and anxiety caused by the health crisis.

Education Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio said that the strategy of assigning educators’ teaching responsibilities to learners and their parents should be reviewed in response to key challenges in distance learning.

By ensuring flexibility in teaching and learning, stress and burden of learning through the multiple learning modalities offered by the DepEd will be reduced, even as the learners are guided to focus on the most essential learning competencies,

San Antonio said.

As for students, DepEd said schools could determine some activities as optional so that students “are enabled to focus only on the most essential activities while allowing the fast learners to perform additional tasks.”

Learners and home learning facilitators found to be experiencing difficulties shall be provided additional support by the teachers or learning support aides,

San Antonio said.

DepEd also asked schools to support the mental health and socio-emotional well-being of teachers, students and their families by organizing group wellness sessions.