Baguio home-based learning for pre-schoolers start Sept 14

By Jordan G. Habbiling

BAGUIO CITY -- Home-based learning classes under the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) city’s programs will start on Sept. 14, City Social Welfare and Development Officer Betty Fangasan said.

Fangasan bared this during the city council session on July 20, saying

the approach will be normalized as an alternative mode of learning since children will no longer be allowed to be physically present for face-to-face sessions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Fangasan said parents and guardians will be oriented weekly on how they can effectively guide and mentor their children.

During the weekly session, the child development teacher (CDT) or the child development worker (CDW) will explain and demonstrate the children’s activities to the parents.

The ECCD council earlier announced through an advisory that ECCD programs will be conducted by a “self-selected group of no more than five parents in an agreed alternative venue which may be necessary under advisory 2, series of 2020.”

The advisory stipulates the teacher/CDT/CDW will facilitate sessions and parents and guardians will serve as primary teachers at alternative venue.

Fangasan said the teacher/CDT/CDW will conduct weekly home visitations at designated alternative venues to assess the children’s learning progress.

              Councilor Betty Tabanda raised concern on the expected difficulties some parents will experience in the new learning arrangement such as having scheduling conflicts, having little to no time to mentor their children due to work, and not being able to simultaneously mentor all their children who are under the home-based learning mode.

Fangasan said a strategy will be made to address problems that may arise in the future.

The city council requested the CSWDO to furnish them a copy of final guidelines in ECCD programs.

Meanwhile, Fangasan disclosed there were only about 1,250 current enrollees in the city, a big drop in number compared to the previous years’ 4,000-5,000 enrolled pre-schoolers.

In the said advisory, Teresita Inciong, chairperson and executive director of the ECCD council, said children’s safety will be secured.

“The ECCD council is working to ensure  all learning centers including alternative venues shall not only be ‘child-friendly’ but also ‘child-safe’ where all young learners aged zero to four years, teachers/CDTs/CDWs, parent-mentors, and members of the community shall be secured and protected from Covid-19 and all other dangers,” Inciong said.