DepEd-CAR raises P985M to print learning modules

By Liza Agoot 

BAGUIO CITY – The eight school divisions in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) raised P985,459,727 needed for the printing of the first quarter self-learning modules of students in all levels.
    Dr. Mae Eclar, DepEd-CAR regional director, in a report Tuesday, said donations came from provincial and municipal government units, school maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), private donors, IPED (Indigenous Peoples) funds, and from the central office of the DepEd.
    The DepEd central office downloaded P253,102,000 while the local government units’ share amounted to P685,329,804.
    The other amount came from other sources.
    Public schools in Abra province need P60.4 million for the printing of the materials; Apayao needs P156.38 million; Baguio City requires P39.77 million; Benguet, P167.9 million; Ifugao, P98.2 million; Kalinga, P20 million; Mountain Province, P415.2 million; and Tabuk City, P28 million.
    “Local government units (LGUs) are using their special education fund (SEF) to help our schools. They gave supplies for printing and duplication of the modules,” Eclar said.
    She clarified that some of the pledges of LGUs have yet to be received as their procurement still has to go through government processes.
    CAR has 356,913 enrollees for public schools and they all require the use of learning modules.
    From the number, 80.12 percent of the learners prefer the modular printed learning delivery modality; 9.84 percent opt for a blended or modules and online; 5.14 percent for the use of modules with audio or radio; 8.53 percent prefer modules with video or TV supplement, and only 1.68 percent opt for the online learning delivery modality.
    Of the eight school divisions in the region, only Baguio City, Benguet, and Tabuk City prefer a blend of modular, online, video or television, and audio or radio. The Abra division has prepared for modular with audio or radio as complementary.
Carmel Fidel, chief of the curriculum and learning management division of the DepEd-CAR, earlier said that the region is 76.76 percent complete in the printing of the first quarter learning modules of all the 356,913 public school learners from kindergarten to Grade 12.
    On the first day of classes for 2020-2021, all public schools in the region have printed, and put together all learning modules for the public school learners needed for the first two weeks of classes.
Prior to the opening on Oct. 5, the DepEd-CAR has initially distributed the learning module for the Psycho First Aid (PFA) and ready for retrieval this week.
    The PFA module will allow the school to know what is happening to the child at home, giving them a glimpse of the 
psychological state of the learner. 
    Dr. Benilda Daytaca, division superintendent for Benguet, said they have inculcated to parents and guardians that their children or wards do not need gadgets to enroll and continue their education.
    “We sought the help of our mayors, barangay officials in informing residents that gadget is not needed,” she said.
    Daytaca said the 83,268 enrollees from the 13 towns of the province is 103 percent higher compared to the previous year’s enrolment of 82,246.
    “The parents were not afraid to enroll their children because we assured them even without a gadget, they (children) can still study,” she said.
    Daytaca said most if not all parents and wards of learners in the province show eagerness to send back their children to school because they want them to have better lives by finishing their studies. 
    Eclar said private individuals, various government agencies, and even parents and teachers are in full collaboration to pursue the education of children in the Cordillera.
    Partnerships were officially sealed with the Police Regional Office Cordillera to deliver instructional packets from the schools to the homes and facilitate learning for families where the parents cannot guide their children in accomplishing educational tasks. There are about 210 police volunteer para-teachers.
    The Bureau of Fire Protection will deliver instructional packets, disinfect schools and offices, while the Army’s 503rd Infantry Brigade will also help deliver instructional packets, and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology will facilitate learning for the inmates in prison.
    The Parent Teachers Association has also set up a “parent academy” to provide assistance to parents who need help in assisting their children with their studies. -- PNA