Mt Prov mayors press face-to-face classes

By Alpine Killa

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The municipal mayors of the ten municipalities of Mountain Province pressed for limited face-to-face classes, subject to compliance with health protocols and Municipal-Inter Agency Task Force (MIATF) guidelines.
    This was the consensus of the mayors during a meeting with officials of the Dept. of Education Mountain Province last Jan. 6. 
    DepEd- Mountain Province initiated the meeting to address challenges brought about by distance learning.
    The mayors unanimously voiced out their support for limited face-to-face classes, provided concerned local government units will have the option to revise policies and guidelines presented by DepEd- Mountain Province.
    Mountain Province Schools Division Superintendent Sally Ullalim said  while President Rodrigo Duterte directed the DepEd to cancel the planned dry run of face-to-face classes in areas classified under low-risk of Covid-19, stakeholders at the municipal level must prepare for  ready plans should Duterte again approve the plan.          
    The municipal mayors pressed limited face-to-face classes following feedback gathered by the DepEd from parents, guardians and learners.
    Khad Layag, the chief of Curriculum Implementation Division presented feedback from 10 municipalities of Mountain Province on modular distance learning.
    The parents, guardians, and learners in elementary and secondary level unanimously clamored for face-to-face classes.
Feedback gathered by DepEd bared most parents and guardians cannot assist their children in their modules because of their educational attainment, background and work.
    Aside from this, not all learners can comprehend modules, thus they either copy answers or let parents or guardians answer modules or submit these unanswered.
    Also, there were subjects at the secondary level that required use of gadgets, devices, internet connectivity, instruments and equipment of which not all learners have these at home.
    In a separate interview, Bontoc Mayor Franklin Odsey said he supportive of limited face-to-face classes, provided minimum health protocols will be implemented.
    The mayor added a clear policy and specific guidelines must be formulated to ensure health and safety of students, parents, teachers, and other stakeholders during implementation.
    Public Schools District Supervisor Bontoc District Amelia Wacangan said initially, Bontoc recommended four schools to be included in pilot testing.
    These included Can-eo Elementary School, Chapyusen Multi-Grade, Dalican Elementary School, and Maligcong Elementary School. However, with the sudden surge of Covid-19 positive cases in the municipality, it was decided that said schools will not be recommended for pilot testing.
    As of press time, Bontoc District was preparing district-wide limited face-to-face based on district plan approved by Mayor Odsey.
    The Municipal Inter-Agency Task Force (MIATF) will meet Jan.12 to discuss the Bontoc District plan for limited face-to-face classes. 
    According to Wacangan, it shall be the MIATF to identify the schools where face-to-face classes will be implemented based on their compliance with MIATF guidelines.