LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The Department of Education in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DepEd-CAR) partnered with stakeholders to address challenges in the continuous education amid a global health crisis.
On July 29, DepEd-CAR inked a Memorandum Of Agreement (MOA) with partner agencies Bureau of Jail and Management and Penology (BJMP) – CAR, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)–CAR, Police Regional Office – Cordillera (Procor), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 503rd Infantry Brigade in a commitment to aid in the delivery of learning modules and to field teaching assistants or “para-teachers.”
May Eclar, DepEd – CAR regional director, disclosed ongoing profiling of the number of para-teachers that may be needed in the delivery of education in the region.
Eclar said under the MOA, the role of para-teachers or teaching assistants and volunteer teachers include help to provide instructions and filling up of worksheets of learners.
“Kapag binigay na iyong modules, nakasulat lahat doon iyong gagawin ng learner, pero hindi naman lahat ng learner’s natin ay self-directed o kayang mag-aral ng nag-iisa. Kailangan may magsabi ng gagawin,” Eclar said
For the para-teachers, DepEd-CAR is looking for those who have a background in teaching.
The DepEd regional director cited a lack of personnel from partner agencies with various school division offices in the region coordinating with local government units to provide volunteer teachers honorarium coming from the Special Education Fund (SEF).
The SEF varies from the additional one percent tax on real property allotted by the Local Government Code to the local school boards.
Another strategy, she added, is an orientation among parents on how they will exercise roles and responsibilities in new learning methods.
In an earlier survey, she added 60 percent of the parents can provide the teaching support to the learners.
Another primary concern being addressed prior to the opening of classes is the reproduction and the delivery of learning modules to students considering the distance of the schools and homes of learners.
In Benguet Province, Schools Division Superintendent Benilda Daytaca said following successive meetings with the League of Mayors in the province, governor and congressman, P22 million was committed by the different LGUs while P10 million was committed by SEF from the provincial local government unit.
The fund will be utilized for the procurement of photocopy machines while the division is set to buy the ink and paper for the learning modules.
As of July 28, there are 324,000 enrollees in the region including private schools, a low number of enrollees compared to more than 400,000 enrollees in the previous school year.
Although the enrollment ended July 15, the department still pushed through with the enrollment to reach more.
Eclar explained the agreement will serve as the guide and direction for the region, SDOs and field offices of partner agencies. She extended gratitude to partners both from the public and private sectors.
“The very reason that all of us come together today is to ensure that the basic right to education of our young Cordillerans is protected.”
On Wednesday, City Savings Bank-Baguio and Manila Mutual Aid System provided a photocopier, office supplies and chemical disinfectants while the Tangguyob Service Station of the National Institute of Information Technology was set as an avenue for advocacy of DepEd-CAR programs. The Informatics Institute-Baguio is also set to provide Information Technology experts as trainers for teachers.