DepEd updates measures to ensure schools’ readiness during calamities

The Department of Education (DepEd) has updated its measures to strengthen the preparedness of schools for disasters and other emergencies. 

The agency underscored the importance of Learning and Service Continuity Plans (LSCPs) when it comes to minimizing the disruption of learning delivery.

In DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2024, the agency provided the revised guidelines on class and work suspensions in schools during typhoons and tropical cyclones, heavy rainfall and floods, earthquakes, power outages, extreme heat, low air quality, and other emergencies and hazards. 

The policy further provided steps to ensure the safety and welfare of students and teachers while ensuring learning continuity.

The LSCP mandates field offices and schools to identify suitable Alternative Delivery Modes (ADMs) for education, ensuring that even during calamities, the students have access to learning resources. 

According to DepEd, these ADMs may include modular distance learning, online education, or blended approaches, depending on the specific needs and local conditions.

The LSCP must establish protocols for the safekeeping and storage of learning materials and devices to prevent damage during calamities.

Moreover, the plan must also detail procedures for distributing these materials, ensuring that learners can easily access them when needed.

The LSCP also includes guidelines for mobilizing teachers, school heads, and other staff during emergencies. 

Training programs and capacity building activities, such as Learning Action Cells, must be pivoted to prepare educators for the challenges of remote or alternative teaching methods, DepEd said. 

The LSCP must be crafted every three years alongside the School Improvement Plan, and will be reviewed and updated annually at the start of the school year.—LDF, GMA Integrated News