BEFORE the pandemic, my wife and I were planning to enroll our 4-year-old daughter in kindergarten. But with the continuous rise of Covid-19 cases, we might have to withhold the plan even if my daughter thinks she’s strong and a big girl now. This is just one of the bubbles that education faces today. There is a reduced number of enrollees, particularly among elementary learners, due to fear of their safety. Education staff, like parents, have their questions about education today.
Parents and teachers have multiple concerns and it is obvious that the lack of information adds to their anxiety. Enrollment in senior high schools (SHS) in public started last month but many parents and guardians failed to enroll their children/wards because schools can only accommodate a certain number of enrollees. Once the enrollment commenced, these schools had immediately reached the maximum number in a couple of hours. Enrollees who were an hour late were no longer counted it. It was a first-come, first-serve enrollment policy prioritizing the students of the same school. Those who did not make the cut were advised to look for other institutions. They would be lucky to find other public SHS that offer their desired tracks.
Lack of money is still the primary reason why parents hold back in enrolling their children in private schools. The government provides monetary assistance to these parents/guardians when they enroll their children/wards in private schools through the vouchers but still, there is an amount to be added which is quite huge among ordinary Filipinos. This is more telling in this time of pandemic because many of our parents/guardians were affected by the economy’s downward trend. The economy is down and everyone is struggling to source out income. It is no doubt that numerous parents are against the resumption of the school year next month. Their opposition is not all about safety, it also stems from lack of money.
Parents/guardians are also worried about the teaching-learning set-up this school year despite the assurance of the government that the Department of Education (DepEd) will be ready. DepEd calls the teaching-learning approach to be utilized as blended learning. This is the combination of online and at-home learning using modular instruction. Depending on the impact of the virus in areas, DepEd can also allow face-to-face learning. As an alternative, learning through radio and television-based instructions are also introduced. Not all parents have a clear picture of this set-up and their differing interpretations keep their confidence low on the approaching school year.
Numerous students and parents/guardians think that gadgets such as laptops and high-end phones are requirements for the new educational arrangement. Not having any of these technological tools frustrates them. While gadgets add to the convenience of learning, it must be understood that these are not necessities in the blended learning approach. Blended learning will be utilized because all the necessary teaching approaches can be used depending on the needs of the learners. Students and parents without gadgets can get hard copies of modules in their schools that they can use in their studies. These modules are similar to the modules teachers send online to those who have internet access. The only difference between these two is that those who have internet access with sufficient speed do not need to physically go to their schools to obtain their modules. We hope that this is clear. It is sad to hear that poor parents force to obtain phones or laptops thinking that it is the only way for their children to study.
This is where another concern among parents and guardians comes in. With the blended learning format, parent’s committed involvement is a must. Parents/guardians have a lot of questions and reservations on this issue. A lot of our parents/guardians think that it is not fair to spend a lot of their time in their children’s schooling when they could spend these times looking for their family’s sustenance. Teaching is a teachers’ job and they are being paid for it. Truth is, this argument has a point. It is the responsibility of teachers and school staff to provide education to the learners but the situation today asks for some action beyond the standard. Teachers are not handing out their tasks to the parents and guardians. They are only calling for partnerships so that the quality of education does not suffer.
Teachers, in utilizing the online teaching method, cannot guide the learners physically all the time. Distance makes a lot of difference in teaching and parents/guardians need to be there beside the students for whatever support they can give. If this is heavy on the part of the parents/guardians, this is because the government asks for their understanding and sacrifice. We are in a "new normal" condition and we are adopting a new educational approach. DepEd begs for the support of the parents/guardians by sacrificing their time and effort to maintain the desired quality of education.
Teachers, like parents/guardians, are also perplexed with this new approach but they have to comply with it because it is a call of duty. Netizens cannot help but criticize many of our teachers for seemingly being passive these times yet it must be known that teachers like parents share the same burden of uneasiness. Teachers will be in the forefronts comes the opening of the school year. The government is asking them to do something, though it is in their field of work, which they have hardly done before. Months before the school year opens, teachers spend their work hours preparing themselves for this resumption. The government has declared the continuation of the school and teachers will need to become ready once the date arrives.
To capacitate themselves, school administrators and teachers, join a series of webinars (seminars on the web). These webinars discuss topics about developing modules, understanding distance learning (blended learning), working with parents in the teaching-learning process, utilizing of radio and television-based instructions, understanding the new normal, understanding the fear of students and parents/guardians, understanding their role as educators and preparing themselves physically, mentally, and psychologically. Others are tasked to prepare other teaching materials/tools. The preparation is daunting but it should be done because it is what the situation demands.
Parents/guardians and students have a lot of fears. School staff and teachers share this feeling of uncertainty too. To minimize these emotional slayers, teachers are doing their best to capacitate themselves that they might perform their duties well. It does not mean that everything will be under control comes August. Parents/guardians’ cooperation and sacrifice are asked and encouraged. Is it easy? No, nothing comes easy in difficult and trying times.