DepEd-Bicol Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad (PNA file photo)
LEGAZPI CITY – The Department of Education (DepEd) regional office in Bicol on Thursday reminded all school heads, teachers, and school personnel to refrain from requiring learners to purchase gadgets and other information and communications technology (ICT) equipment for the ongoing remote enrollment and distance learning.
Gilbert Sadsad, DepEd-Bicol regional director, in a statement said the reminder is contained in the agency's newly released memorandum on Wednesday.
Instead, he said schools are encouraged to use several strategies for enrollment and distance learning that do not require the use of digital equipment such as the establishment of enrollment kiosk and putting up enrollment drop boxes to strategic places in schools and in the community where parents could acquire and drop enrollment forms.
Sadsad said the memorandum was issued to ensure that parents and learners, especially those who do not have the capability to purchase gadgets, will have an easy access to the enrollment for school year 2020-2021 and to advise alternative means for enrollment without breaching the minimum health protocols.
He also said DepEd-Bicol will adopt the blended learning or modular learning modality using printed materials since it is more favorable among majority of Bicolano learners.
“By adopting the blended or modular learning, learners will be provided with modules and self-learning kits with the help of the school authorities and local government units,” he said.
Sadsad said face-to-face enrollment by grade levels may also be permitted in case parents and students will experience difficulty in the enrollment procedure, provided that the policies on health such as physical distancing set forth by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases will be observed.
Remote or distance learning offers flexible educational options through a modular learning approach and self-learning activity kits. (PNA)
