KICK-OFF OF CLASSES. Today marks the opening of classes of the Department of Education (DepEd). The activity encourages the public to join the Department as it ushers in the final phase of its preparation for the opening of classes and says:
“Halina't samahan kami sa Handang Isip, Handa Bukas National Kick-off Program ngayong Lunes, Agosto 10, 2020, at saksihan ang mga paghahanda ng mga paaralan, magulang, mag-aaral, at LGUs sa iba't ibang dako ng bansa para sa darating na taong panuruan!
Mapapanood ito nang LIVE sa DepEd Philippines at regional DepEd Facebook pages, pati na rin sa pages ng PTV, Radio Television Malacañang - RTVM, at Presidential Communications (Government of the Philippines).
Tumutok din sa live TV broadcast sa PTV-4, Solar Learning, at sa iba pang regional local channels. Mapapanood naman ang replay sa IBC TV 13.
Ngayong SY 2020-2021, tulong-tulong tayo sa pagtamo ng dekalidad na edukasyon dahil ang #HandangIsip, #HandaBukas!
Para sa karagdagang impormasyon, basahin ang: https://www.deped.gov.ph/.../public-schools-in-different-set.../”
DepEd also encourages everyone to actively participate in the kick-off and put the following hashtags in the photos/videos they will take related to the activity: #SulongEduKalidad #DepEdPhilippines #DepEdTayo.
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ENROLMENT UPDATE. Based on the published report in DepEd Philippines, the official FB page of DepEd, as of 8 a.m. of August 7, 2020, the total number of enrollees for School Year (SY) 2020-2021 has reached 22,763,759 nationwide (81.91 percent of SY 2019-2020) for Kindergarten to Grade 12, including ALS and non-graded learners with disabilities.
The report mentioned that the data showed that 21,236,004 learners have enrolled in public schools (94.08 percent of SY 2019) and 1,491,946 registered in private schools (34.64 percent of SY 2019).
Consequently, DepEd is still anticipating an increase in enrollment figures as reports from the field continue to come in. It can be noted that schools will also accept late enrollees even beyond the enrollment period, as stated in DepEd Order No. 003, s. 2018.
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CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS. Even in the new normal, DepEd said it is working with partners to make sure learning materials would be accessible to students with special needs.
Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said that the Department is organizing the learning resources, the ones to be used so the learning of students with special needs will remain unhampered. He said that self-learning modules are also being converted to cater to students who have hearing or visual impairment.
San Antonio added that they are being helped by education partners in ensuring the learning resources will be accessible even to children with special needs.
It was also stated previously that DepEd would also give guidance to parents and others who help in the learning process of students with special needs.
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PUBLIC EDUCATION NETWORK. Senator Win Gatchalian, chair, Senate Committee on Education, is pushing for the approval of Senate Bill No. 1565 or the “Education in the Better Normal Act,” the main purpose is the strengthen the program of the DepEd named Public Education Network (PEN).
It could be recalled that President Rodrigo Duterte in his State of the Nation Address 2020 promised to implement PEN before the end of his term in 2022.
According to the 14th “Ulat sa Bayan ng Pangulo” in the implementation of Republic Act No. 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal As One Act, P700 million is intended for the internet access of 7,000 public schools in the country.