DAVAO CITY — Over 300,000 learners have enrolled for the school year 2020-2021 in Davao Region from June 1 and 5, all enrolees took part in the ongoing survey on the method of learning they prefer, says Department of Education XI spokesperson Jenielito Atillo.
Atillo said last year, Davao Region enrolled one million (1-million) learners for the school year 2019-2020.
In an interview with Newsline, Atillo said “Based on the first week of enrollment, we recorded 298,829have enrolled but we cannot project the enrollees this year, since it is still early,” Atillo said.
The enrollment ends on June 30.
New entrolment method
The enrolment method has also been changed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Instead of the usual integration between the parents and the teacher in the elementary and high school, enrollment is done through a dropbox.
An application form is given at the school for parents or students to fill-up along with a survey wherein students are given the choice on what mode of learning the child prefers, after which, the enrollment and survey forms will be dropped in a box.
Teachers capacity and capability building
While the enrollment in ongoing, pubic school teachers are attending seminars on capacity and capability building because they too need to familiarize the new teaching-learning method which is being proposed pending the traditional face to face learning inside a classroom.
“We are giving seminars and training to teachers while enrollment is ongoing, to ensure that teachers who are not too familiar with the online studies and other technology relative to the new method will get the training needed to teach the children,” Atillo added.
It is an admitted fact, he said, that some teachers especially those who have little exposure to technology need to capacitate themselves and on the same breath determine their capability in line with the new teach-learning method.
Autonomy in final method
The method of learning, according to Atillo will be decided by the school heads and district supervisors given the strength and challenge each school is facing, such as internet connectivity, power supply, among others.
There will be no unified teaching method since Bended and Distant Learning has three major components namely:
1. The Television and Radio: The students will learn through the radio and television which features their classes.;
2. Online studies: The student and the teacher will interact through the internet; and
3. Modular: The teacher will print the compilation of lessons which the learner will answer with the parents’ guidance; but if parents do not know the system, a multi-media is necessary like the television and radio which the DepEd will identify, using the television and school-on-the air- for areas where there is a stable power connection.
But he clarified, there can never be a unified teaching method in a given area since all the facilities needed for teaching must be considered.
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The survey result will be a major consideration in the method which a school will adopt, Atillo added. The DepEd will assess all areas necessary for conducive learning before it recommends the method of teaching.
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Challenge among students
For Kristine, 14, upcoming Grade 7, the new method is strange “Maglisod man gani ko og sabot sa lesson usahay nga naa sa blackboard ug naa pay maestra sa atubangan, kana pa ba nga akong mama lang akong kauban sa balay nga elementary ra’y nahuman, pero akong gipili ang curriculum method, mo-try ko”.
(Sometimes I cannot understand a lesson with a blackboard and a teacher in front of me, how much more in the house where I only have my mother who is just an elementary graduate, but I chose the curriculum method, I will try)
For Jiann Padillo, who prefers modular method for her two children, the new system is advantageous to her family, saying she does not need to spend for the usual “baon” , uniform and other school supplies, and she can monitor her kids learning because she has the time to attend to them.
Padillo’s daughter is an incoming Grade 7 and Grade 6, and both are honor students.
For teacher Violeta, 58, a grade 4 teacher, the new method is a challenge, “I was never introduced to the internet until age 50, I only open internet if I want Facebook and watch youtube, but I will be forced to study and learn the internet operations because I don’t know what method our school will adopt”.
Whether Coronavius outbreak affect the students’ attitude towards education or new teaching-learning method affect the decision of the parents to send their children to school, the question can be answered after June 30, as DepEd will have the final number of enrollees for the school year 2020-2021.-Editha Z. Caduaya
