Duterte: Deped to release guidelines on allowed activities in schools

Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Duterte said the agency will soon release guidelines on activities allowed in schools for the school year, as she reminded teachers to focus on academics to make up for the learning losses due to the pandemic.

“Meron tayong ilalabas na department order na nagsasabing dapat co-curricular at academic activities lang ang gagawin this school year. So ang mga extra-curricular activities ay ipinagbabawal po natin,” Duterte said in her visit to Don Pedro Vasquez Memorial School in Jordan, Guimaras.

The still-to-be-released department order will specify standards of activities allowed for the school year.

“Nilagay na po namin doon ang listahan paano tayo mag-identify ng extra curricular at kung paano tayo mag-identify ng co-curricular,” she said.

Duterte said the DepEd will prioritize the academic development of students, adding that it will do away with some of the traditional school activities.

“...Kailangan nakatutok tayo sa academics ng ating mga estudyante to catch up on the learning losses during the two years na hindi sila nakapag-in-person classes dahil meron talagang kaibahan ang pure online na klase at yung merong in person classes para sa ating mga learners,” she said.

“Ngayong taon po wala tayong Palarong Pambansa pero sa susunod na taon gumagawa sila ng draft proposal para sa Palarong Pambansa,” she added.

The school currently has 11 teachers and 293 students. The lack of classrooms is one of the major challenges of the school to accommodate their students.

Duterte said that since the construction of classrooms is devolved to the local government units, DepEd is only permitted by the Department of Budget and Management to construct school buildings in 5th and 6th class municipalities, the last mile schools, and those belonging to the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA).

However, she said the department has been communicating with the DBM to allow DepEd to implement school constructions.

“Sinabi naman po namin sa kanila, naka-ilang sulat na po si Sec. Briones. Sumulat na rin po ako sa kanila, iniulit ang position ng Department of Education na ‘wag i-devolve ang construction ng school building program sa ating mga LGUs dahil hindi pare-pareho ang kapasidad ng mg LGUs at hindi binigyan ng mandato ang mga LGUs na yung matatanggap nila na pera ay dapat ipagawa nila ng school buildings,” Duterte explained.

“Patuloy naming kinakausap ang DBM at patuloy kaming nagre-request sa Office of the President na i-exclude ang school building program sa pagbigay nito sa mga LGUs para nandito pa rin sa Department of Education ang mga pagpapagawa ng classrooms sa lahat ng LGUs natin,” she added.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA News