ILOILO City – School year 2022-2023 for public schools starts on Monday, August 22, 2022, and according to the Department of Education in Region 6 (DepEd-6), majority or a total of 2,951 public elementary, integrated and secondary schools in Western Visayas (WV) have opted to use blended learning modality until October 31.
Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte had earlier ordered that starting November 2, 2022 public and private schools all over the country must transition to five days of in-person classes.
Meanwhile, blended learning modality is composed of three days of in-person classes and two days of distance learning.
“Sa aton monitoring diri sa regional office halos kalabanan sang schools naton ang nag-opt to have blended learning modality. Kon maghambal sang blended learning modality, three days in-person and two days in distance learning based sa aton official school calendar,” DepEd-6 regional information officer Hernani Escullar, Jr. said in an interview with Panay News yesterday afternoon.
Aside from blended learning, the other two transition options of learning modalityfor public schools, with consultation with parents or guardians, from August 22 to October 31 are five-day in-person classes, and full distance learning wherein learners will use modules or radio or TV-based materials.
DepEd-6 data showed that out of 3,220 public elementary schools in the region, 2,284 schools or 70.93 percent had chosen the blended learning modality; 722 schools or 22.42 percent opted to start the five-day in-person classes; and 214 schools or 6.65 percent continued the full distance learning.
Of the 190 integrated schools in the region, 150 or 78.95 shifted to blended learning, 37 schools or 18.47 percent chose the five-day in-person classes, and three schools or 1.58 percent opted for full distance learning.
Forth 635public secondary schools, meanwhile, 517 or 81.42 percent had chosen blended learning, 99 or 15.59 percent shifted to five-day in-person classes, and 19 or 2.99 percent still opted for full distance learning.
Escullar added that in the middle of the transition period, those schools that are using the blended learning modality can shift to four-day in-person classes and one day in distance learning, while the schools implementing the full distance learning modality can transition to in-person classes.
“As provided sang aton school calendar, in the middle of the transition period puede sila maka-transfer to a four-day in person classes and one day na lang nga distance learning,” Escullar said.
With regards to the private schools, Escullar said that it depends on the school administrator or school principal what learning modality to use, with consultation to parents or guardians of the learners.
“Come November 3 tanan nga mga schools sa public and private ang dapat nga naka-transition na sa five days in person classes,” the DepEd-6 spokesperson added.
As of Thursday, August 18, a total of 1,690,063 learners were enrolled in public and private schools in the region.
In public schools, 1,531,378learners were enrolled; 155,493 enrolled in private schools; and 3,192enrolled in local universities and colleges, and state universities and colleges.
Here is the breakdown of the 1,690,063 learners per schools division offices: Aklan – 126,328; Antique – 128,765; Bacolod City – 131,091; Bago City – 34,843; Cadiz City–37,874; Capiz – 130,562; Escalante City – 23,016; Guimaras – 37,749; Himamaylan City – 24,465; Iloilo province – 399,176; Iloilo City – 93,208; Kabankalan City – 46,689; La Carlota City – 13,130; Negros Occidental – 281,916; Passi City – 21,441; Roxas City – 33,864; Sagay City – 31,874; San Carlos City – 25,150; Silay City – 30,066; Sipalay City – 17,987; and Victorias City – 20,869./PN
