ILOILO – From June 1 to 25, 186,355 learners in this province enrolled online for school year 2020-2021, according to Dr. Roel Bermejo, superintendent of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Division of Iloilo Schools.
These figures could still go up, said Bermejo.
While the enrollment period will officially end on June 30, he said, schools would continue accepting enrollees beyond that date.
“Ang aton target maka-exceed sang number of enrollees last school year 2019-2020,” said Bermejo.
In the previous school year, 453,000 learners enrolled.
For the upcoming school year, enrollment is done through text (short messaging system of mobile phones), phone calls, email, and the social media application Viber, said Bermejo.
Parents are mostly the ones contacting the schools, he added.
There is also the drop box enrollment system.
Bermejo said the school leaves a box at the barangay hall or daycare center or in a strategic/accessible area in the village where parents or students can drop their learner enrollment survey form.
“Nagapasalamat kita sa cooperation sang local government units up to the barangay level. Daku ang ila bulig sa pag-inform sa aton ginikanan about the enrollment through the drop box system. Barangayofficials themselves guard the boxes,” said Bermejo.
As to the “learning delivery modalities” or methods of teaching and learning, Bermejo said an initial survey showed that over 85 percent of learners preferred online and blended learning.
Blended, said Bermejo, refers to a combination of radio- or television-based instruction, online and modular teaching.
“Sa subong it is too early for us to determine which modality to pursue,” he stressed.
DepEd Region 6 information officer Lea Belleza previously said “learning delivery modalities” being explored were face-to-face learning, distance learning, blended learning, and homeschooling.
Face-to-face learning may be allowed in areas considered as “low-risk” for coronavirus disease 2019 transmission but health safety measures must be strictly observed such as regular disinfection of schools, frequent hand-washing, wearing of facemask, observing physical distancing, and checking of body temperature.
For distance learning, DepEd-6 eyes three strategies. These are the following:
* online class – but only possible if students have the needed gadgets such as laptop or desktop computer, cellphone, and strong internet connection
* modular – printed or electronic materials would be issued for students to study; this includes worksheets, too, that students must answer and other learning materials that teachers would deem necessary for the students
* radio- or television-based instruction
Belleza said all these may be “blended”./PN
