Despite the shift to distance learning, there will be no changes in the subject areas that will be taught for the school year 2020-2021, Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said during a virtual press briefing on Monday, August 31. 

“We did not remove any subjects. What we did was we reviewed the learning competencies in each subject and we removed some of [these learning competencies]. As already announced, we only have 40% of the existing competencies that will be taught this year. We still proceed with all the learning areas,” San Antonio said in a mix of English and Filipino.

The DepEd defines learning competencies as “knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes that students need to demonstrate in every lesson.”

As part of DepEd’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP), the K to 12 curricula have been streamlined to 5,689 most essential learning competencies from the original 14,171, or a reduction by 60%.

San Antonio, however, said that schools have the liberty to adjust what subjects will be taught per month provided that all 8 core subjects will be covered every grading quarter. 

“Puwede kasi na hindi sa isang araw walong subjects ang bata. Puwede kasing apat o dalawa pero basta pagkatapos ng isang markahan na-cover na nila lahat yung ibat-ibang learning areas na ‘yon. ‘Yung mga ganon pinayagan ng aming tanggapan,” San Antonio explained. 

(They are allowed not to teach all 8 subjects in one day. They can teach 4 or 2 per day provided that they will cover all subjects every grading quarter. We allow this kind of setup.)

The 8 core subjects are: English; Mathematics; Filipino; Science; Araling Panlipunan; Technology and Livelihood Education or TLE (for high school); Edukasyong Pangkabuhayan at Pangtahanan (for elementary); Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH); and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (ESP). Only Grades 1 and 2 have Mother Tongue subject.

Meanwhile, senior high school students have different subjects depending on the track they are enrolled in.

What about demo classes?

During the briefing, San Antonio explained that adjustments will be made on practical subjects such as Technology and Livelihood Education. 

“Kasi may mga gawain talaga ang mga bata na kailangan nasa school. Sa ngayon ay pinag uusapan pa kung paano mai-dedeliver ang mga competencies lalo na yung may mga demo classes,” San Antonio said. 

(There are tasks where students need to be physically present in school. For now, we’re discussing how these competencies will be taught to them especially the demo classes.)

DepEd shifted to distance learning for the coming school year to comply with President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive for schools to delay face-to-face classes until a coronavirus vaccine becomes available.

Modular learning is the “backbone” of the DepEd’s distance learning program as access to technology remains a problem for most students. Other modes of learning such as online and TV and radio broadcasts would supplement the modules.

Education Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo said that 57% of the learning modules are now ready for distribution. (READ: 4 schools division offices ‘lagging behind’ on printing of modules – DepEd)

As of August 28, some 21.9 million public school students have signed up for the school opening on October 5, while 1.9 million students in private schools have enrolled. Some private schools began holding classes during the first week of August. – Rappler.com