DepEd: Classes on Nov. 3 will not be face-to-face

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) said that classes in basic education shall resume on Friday, November 3, 2023.

This comes after a long break due to the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections and the Halloween/Undas break.

Dr. Salustiano Jimenez, DepEd-7 director, said that the classes on Friday shall be done through a modular medium.

“Actually, tomorrow, November 3, we do not have face-to-face classes, kanang modular,” Jimenez said.

READ MORE: There’ll be classes on Oct. 31, Nov. 3 but…

Jimenez said almost all the schools in the region will be having a modular-printed mode of classes on November 3.

“Wala’y face-to-face kay tomorrow is Friday, unya [sunod kay] Sabado, Dominggo, mao ra gyud ilang anhaon [sa eskwelahan] tawn unya nangadto pa to’g probinsya. So at least they have their modules, so klase lang gihapon but in the different platform,” he said.

(No face-to-face classes because tomorrow is Friday. The next day is Saturday, then Sunday, so that’s all they’ll go to school for? What of they went home to their respective hometowns? So at least they have their modules, so there’ll be classes bit in a different platform.)

Blended learning

Moreover, he added that DepEd has also a “directive” to have a ‘blended learning,’ which is usually done through online or modular classes.

“Depending on what is feasible in their area,” Jimenez said.

The Deped-7 director said that in Central Visayas, those schools located in the rural areas might have difficulty in conducting online classes.

“Unya ang teachers pod nato, katong ubang teachers nanguli pod og probinsya so maglisod gyud og mag online [class],” he said.

(And teachers too, those who went home to their towns in the province, they will have a difficult time having online classes.)

He added that this is why they advise the teachers to prepare a modular-printed way of delivering classes on November 3.

Moreover, in cases where some teachers would hold and require their students to attend face-to-face classes, Deped still has no penalty for them.

But Jimenez assured that they will check on that matter, especially if there would be complaints later on.

“Naghuna-huna na gani ang higher office unsa’y makatabang for the welfare [sa] atong mga teachers, the non-teaching, and our learners nga karong ing arong panahona mahatagan sila’g igo nga higayon para nga makaadto gyud sa ilahang mga loved ones, makabisita asa nga probinsya,” he said.

(The higher office is thinking of what it can do for the welfare of our teachers, the non-teaching, and our learners during this time so they can be given time to visit their loved ones in the province.)

He added that if there would be complaints for conducting face-to-face classes, they will look into the matter and will require the teacher to justify his or her action.

DepEd memorandum

The DepEd issued a memorandum, through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Operations (OASOPS)-2023-221 on October 27, 2023.

This memorandum was issued to clarify class arrangements for October 31 and November 3, 2023 for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections and Undas season.

The key points outlined in the memorandum are:

1. No Physical Attendance Required: Public school teaching personnel are not obligated to attend school physically on these dates.

2. Emphasis on Blended Learning: School Heads should use remote monitoring systems to ensure blended learning methods are applied, such as modular and asynchronous approaches, to maintain educational activities without interruption.

This memorandum prioritizes the safety and convenience of teaching personnel while ensuring uninterrupted education during the election and Undas period.

/bmjo