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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The 17 SDGs are integrated-they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

Countries have committed to prioritize progress for those who're furthest behind. The SDGs are designed to end poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls.

The creativity, knowhow, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context.

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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

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SDG 4 | QUALITY EDUCATION.

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Education enables upward socioeconomic mobility and is a key to escaping poverty. Over the past decade, major progress was made towards increasing access to education and school enrollment rates at all levels, particularly for girls. (United Nations)

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Quality education makes a huge impact in our global development. It helps build the foundation of not just an equality, but equity in the our society, which is very valuable to creating more peaceful world. Moreover, quality education enables people to develop all a balanced set of capabilities of children that are aimed to be the fruit of economic productivity, developed sustainable intelligences and livelihoods in the near future.

“A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labour exploitation and disease, and give them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential,” said Audrey Hepburn, an American actress.

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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The 17 SDGs are integrated—they recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability. Countries have committed to prioritize progress for those who're furthest behind. The SDGs are designed to end poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls.

The creativity, knowhow, technology and financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context.

©United Nations Development Programme, 2021

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The Philippines has the first local 2019 – Novel Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease (COVID-19) transmission last March 7, 2020 subsequently community quarantine was imposed. And, it disrupted education at unprecedented scale as most governments have closed down schools wherein there are 28,451,212 students who are affected by the pandemic.

Officials in the Philippines confirmed in early June 2020 that schools would not reopen until a vaccine against COVID-19 became available. This decision leaves approximately 27 million children to continue their education via the internet.

Thereafter, the quarantine became worse as it was extended on the current academic year, 2021-2022, which means a rough continuation of the distance learning in the country, considering the fact that the Philippines has become one of the top countries with worst number of covid cases accross the world.

Nonetheless, aid organizations are mobilizing in response to the decision that the government of the Philippines made to not reopen schools. These organizations hope to bridge the potential gap in quality and access to quality education in the Philippines during the pandemic.

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According to the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), globally, over 200,000 cases of the coronavirus have been reported in more than 160 countries, which have resulted in more than 8,000 deaths and left several States dealing with severe outbreaks. The COVID-19 pandemic will adversely impact the progress some governments were making around increasing the education budget.

We are facing an education crisis. For nearly 77 million children, the pandemic has taken away their classrooms for the past 18 months. Schoolchildren worldwide have lost 1.8 trillion hours and counting of in-person learning due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Yet in too many countries classrooms remain closed while social gatherings continue to take place in restaurants, salons and gyms. This generation of children and youth cannot afford any more disruptions to their education. | unicef.org

Moreover, based from the survey conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), over 800 million learners from around the world have been affected, 1 in 5 learners cannot attend school, 1 in 4 cannot attend higher education classes, and over 102 countries have ordered nationwide school closures while 11 have implemented localised school closure.

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too short a period to extend a successful distance-learning model
Officials in the Philippines confirmed in early June 2020 that schools would not reopen until a vaccine against COVID-19 became available. This decision leaves approximately 27 million children to continue their education via the internet. Education officials worry that two months is , especially when many children lack access to computers or the internet. For younger children, this adjustment in education style arrives at a crucial period in their schooling where they start developing social skills, literacy and numeracy.

Nonetheless, aid organizations are mobilizing in response to the decision that the government of the Philippines made to not reopen schools. These organizations hope to bridge the potential gap in quality and access to quality education in the Philippines during the pandemic.

USAID

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) gave $2.5 million to the government of the Philippines to help support its Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan. USAID announced on June 18, 2020, that it would be putting forward funding to secure quality education for children in the Philippines until the restoration of face-to-face classroom learning.

In partnership with the Philippines Department of Education (DepEd), USAID will equip educators with effective distance-learning materials and teaching techniques. Additionally, USAID will also direct attention to families and citizens, providing parents with home-learning activities. Media platforms in the Philippines will be working with USAID to publicize advice on the effective continuation of education during the pandemic. USAID will also help DepEd in the development of assessment tools for students so that instructors can monitor and evaluate student literacy levels before the eventual return to school.

Save the Children Philippines

Government-sanctioned aid programs are not the only organizations targeting issues associated with education. International NGOs are also rolling out plans to maintain access to education via their local chapters in the Philippines. Save the Children Philippines recently initiated Project ARAL (Access to Resources for Alternative Learning), which seeks to support families at a high risk of losing learning opportunities with the transition to online-based schooling.

Project ARAL provides materials for at-home educational programs that it caters to students by age group. The plan also uses these programs to offer "psychosocial" support and disseminate information regarding nutrition and health. The project incorporates three stages for the planning and provision of educational aid, assuring support to all beneficiaries throughout transitions in learning. This includes a relief stage (when quarantine and school closures remain in place), a transition stage (when schools stay closed, but quarantine restrictions begin to lift) and a recovery stage (when returning to normal operations).

ChildFund Philippines

ChildFund Philippines, a regional sector of ChildFund International, introduced a CoVLOG-19 for young adults between the ages of 15 and 24. CoVLOG-19 is a video-blog platform for young adults to express themselves and communicate with peers while maintaining distance-learning. The platform focuses specifically on engaging young adults with information regarding COVID-19: slowing the infection rate and avoiding online exploitation and abuse in this large flux of computer use. ChildFund Philippines also hopes to support education in the Philippines by supplying "home-based family activities kits," or HFAK, which provide activities to support the continued learning of life-skills, social skills and academics in the absence of traditional schooling.

The indefinite closure of schools due to COVID-19 will inevitably continue to pose an enormous hurdle in the provision of quality education in the Philippines. However, projections determine that the materials, programs and plans that these aid organizations implemented will chip away at the challenge to further improve the status of remote learning.

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Protecting Quality Education in the Philippines | The Borgen Project

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too short a period to extend a successful distance-learning model Officials in the Philippines confirmed in early June 2020 that schools would not reopen until a vaccine against COVID-19 became available. This decision leaves approximately 27 million children to continue their education via the internet.

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Ferdinand B. Pitagan, PhD
National Teachers College

COVID-19 has disrupted education beyond our wildest imagination thus governments around the world are now rapid prototyping solutions on how to continue learning, teaching and services amidst the pandemic. This paper explores how the basic and higher education institutions in the Philippines transformed the delivery of instructions in the new normal; outlines challenges; and draws key learnings.

Introduction

The Philippines has the first local 2019 - Novel Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease (COVID-19) transmission last March 7, 2020 subsequently community quarantine was imposed. As of the November 8, there have been 396,395 confirmed cases (with 361,638 recoveries and 7,539 deaths), which is the 2nd highest number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Southeast Asia and ranks 7th in Asia and 25th in the world (Department of Health, 2020). Thus, Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) of the Philippines was convened last January 2020 to manage and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.

The crisis will cost the Philippine economy Php 2.5 trillion (approximately USD 51,918,750,000) in losses this year (Ramos, 2020) with the highest-ever unemployment rate of 17.7%, 7.3 million jobs lost (Teo, 2020). The Asian Development Outlook (ADO, 2020) Update projects a deeper decline in the Philippines' economy than ADB's June forecast of 3.8% contraction.

In addition, COVID-19 is disrupting education at unprecedented scale as most governments have closed down schools. According to UNESCO (2020), at the height during April 2020, there were 1,480, 292, 206 affected learners (84.5% of total enrolled) in 165 countries. In the Philippines, there are 28,451,212 students who are affected by the pandemic.
Figure 1. Affected Learners in the Philippines Due to School Closure - COVID-19
Source: https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse

President Rodrigo Duterte has formally declared a state of public health emergency in the Philippines and suspended all classes, in public and private, in Metro Manila from March 10 to 14, 2020. However, due to raising numbers of infections, the entire Philippines was placed under the state of calamity enforcing enhanced community quarantines by March 17, which directs all government agencies to assist, cooperate and mobilize resources for critical, urgent and appropriate responses and measures in a timely manner to curtail and eliminate the COVID-19 threat. Thereafter, although restrictions have somehow eased at certain parts of the country, schools are still closed for face-to-face classes. As quick response, educational institutions and organizations around the country are harnessing the different types of technology and modalities to continue learning, teaching and services during the pandemic.

The Basic Education

All basic education classes were suspended by March 10, 2020, which coincidentally is the last month of the school year 2019-2020. When the quarantine was extended, accommodations were given to students to pass their current year level. Consequently, the Department of Education (DEPED) moved the opening of classes for school year 2020-2021 from June 1 to August 24, 2020 then finally, on Oct 5, 2020.

Private basic education institutions were given the approval to open through distance learning by June 2020, following the issuance of DEPED Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) in the Time of Covid-19 (DEPED Order No 12 s. 2020) which aims to:

Protect the health, safety and well-being of learners, teachers, and personnel, and prevent the further transmission of COVID-19;

Ensure learning continuity through K-12 curriculum adjustments, alignment of learning materials, deployment of multiple learning delivery modalities, provision of corresponding training for teachers and school leaders, and proper orientation of parents or guardians of learners;

Facilitate the safe return of teaching and nonteaching personnel and learners to workplaces and schools, taking into consideration the scenarios projected by DOH and IATF, complemented by other credible sources, and balanced with DEPED's own risk assessments;

Be sensitive to equity considerations and concerns, and endeavor to address them the best we can; and

Link and bridge the BE-LCP to DEPEDs pivot to quality and into the future of education, under the framework of Sulong EduKalidad and Futures Thinking in Education

Figure 2. DEPED Learning Delivery Modality During COVID-19
Source: https://www.DEPED.gov.ph/2020/07/22/ano-ang-pwedeng-learning-delivery-modality/

DEPED has formulated different learning modalities that take into consideration the access and availability of technology and connection for learning. It employs distance learning designed to continue education even if the teachers and students are physically remote with each other through the use of online/offline technologies, tv and radio, and printed modules. Also, blended learning is the combination of any of these modalities while home schooling is primarily done at home with a caregiver as teacher.

Even before the pandemic, the review of the K-12 Basic Education Curriculum has been on-going, however, the process has been fast track, which identified the 5,689 Most Essential Learning Competencies from the original 14,171 or 60% reduction. This is done through retaining, merging, clustering, removing, rephrasing existing competencies to address congestion and overlaps (DEPED MELCS, 2020).

DEPED also has rapidly prototyped the DEPED Commons which is the online platform to support the continuous delivery of basic education to Filipino learners. It aims to foster awareness and use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) and encourage the open licensing of educational materials. Since the launch last March 17, 2020 it has integrated the private schools, alternative learning systems, special education stakeholders as users. It has also partnered with local mobile companies making access to the portal free for their subscribers. During the first nine weeks, 7,215,925 unique users have already registered and accessed DEPED Commons. To date, there have been good feedbacks across different stakeholders on the utilization of the portal (DEPED Commons, 2020).

The Learning Resources Management and Development System (LRDMS) has been the online resource repository of DEPED even before the pandemic and continue to serve as such. It contains 6,199 learning resources for learners; 1,587 resources for teachers; and 56 resources for professional development. In addition, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Star Books and the Commission of Higher Education (CHED) Teach Together Project have also donated numerous resources (DEPED Commons, 2020).

The different lessons across the K-12 Program for different learning modalities for all learners shall be converted to inclusive and interactive e-books and uploaded to the DEPED Commons as Self- Learning Modules (SLM). These modules would be in print, video lessons, and/or digital formats that will be used for blended learning, distance learning, homeschooling, and apprenticeship, either on top or in place of the traditional face-to-face learning modality (DEPED Commons, 2020).

DEPED will provide technology provisions by end of school year 2020 with 475,650 tablet PCs and 634,877 desktops/thin clients will be available for use by 21.4 million students, or about 94% of the 22,746,855 public school students, while 190,574 laptops will be available for use by teachers (22% of the total DEPED teaching force.) In addition, local government units and private organizations are providing technology augmentation to students and teachers across the country (DEPED Commons, 2020).

The Higher Education

Classes in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were also suspended from March 10, 2020 however, unlike the basic education institutions, HEIs were allowed to operate through distance flexible learning systems. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Advisory No. 1, Feb 11, 2020, outlined the response in to the prevention, control and mitigation of the spread of the COVID-19 and by March 11, 2020, the Advisory No. 2 contained the update and addendum putting emphasis on ensuring the safety and health of all students, faculty, staff and administrators which:

Enjoins all HEIs to follow the guidelines based on the current issuance of the Department of Health (DOH) and World Health Organization (WHO);

encourages a rigorous information campaign visible across multiple communication channels;

recommends everyday preventive actions;

establishes screening protocols and responses;

recommends review of attending, participating, and organizing events that draw large crowds; travel restrictions; and

extend in-house resources to students, faculty and staff.

The succeeding advisories culminated in the CHED COVID-19 Advisory No. 7, 24 May 2020 with following recommendations:

suspension of face-to-face or in-person classes until further directives from the IATF;

provision for the opening of summer classes;

suspension of the on-the-job training and internship programs (foreign and local) and mass gathering,

opening of classes for AY 2020-2021 shall be based on the HEI's delivery mode;

adoption of a flexible learning strategy or mode in delivering instruction, processes and services;

compliance on health and wellness standards;

adoption of alternative work arrangements with a skeleton workforce

provide essential services to its clients;

establish a clear communication plan and transact using non-face-to-face means;

revise their academic policies;

respect the decision of families not to send their children to school due to concerns about their safety; and

other pertinent details.

Guided by CHED, most of the universities and colleges in the Philippines have implemented flexible learning systems to continue education which take into consideration the evolution of the educational landscape during and after the pandemic putting emphasis on analysis, design, implementation and evaluation of the different types of modalities to affect learning and teaching anchored on the tenets of inclusive and resilient education. According to CHED (2020), there are three modes of flexible learning: 1) online - which uses available online classroom for delivery of instruction; (2) offline - does not need any internet connectivity as learning is done through printed modules or digital media in storage devices; and (3) blended - combination of online and offline modes (Magsambol, 2020a).
Connectivity is one of the main issues in flexible learning as there are students who would have full access to technology and bandwidth, while others have limitations or no access at all. CHED admitted that poor internet connection, especially in the provinces, has made the conduct of fully online classes "not viable." (Philippine Daily Inquirer, 2020)

The CHED curriculum is learner-centered and outcome-based as most of the HEIs conducted curriculum reviews to respond thereby adjust to the new normal by concentrating on the core competencies, essential learning experiences and integrative assessments. Flexible learning is deeply rooted in learner-centeredness and outcome-based education (CHED CMO 4, 2020).

CHED has encouraged HEIs in the use of technology to support learning and teaching which include the determination of the level of technology to be used for the delivery of the programs based on student connectivity (CHED CMO 4, 2020).

Categories

Availability of Devices

Internet Connectivity

Level of Digital Literacy

Approaches

High Level Technology

Laptops, mobile phones, tablets, desktops

fast

proficient

Online or blended learning

Medium Level Technology

mostly available phones

slow

advanced

Online or blended learning (macro and micro learning)

Low Level Technology

some mobile phones or no technology

poor or no internet connection

beginner

Offline (self-instructional modules)

Source: Presentation of Dr. Juan Robertine Macalde, SEAMEO Innotech, CHED-SEAMEO Joint Webinar, 22 May 2020

In addition, continuous communication and services by providing capacity building administrator, faculty and staff and ensuring health and safety protocols for all stakeholders are hallmarks for flexible learning system (CHED CMO 4, 2020).

Moreover, The Innovation for Social Impact Partnership (ISIP) documented on how Philippine universities respond to the COVID-19 crisis through innovation and harnessing the power of research for public good (Bordado, 2020):

Batangas State University - fabricated faceshields for front liners by using vacuum forming process, assembly time is reduced producing at least 100 units per day;

Central Luzon State University - developed washable mask using nanofibers as filters;

Caraga State University - provided nanocellulose as face mask; covid-19 mapping; and online counseling sessions;

Central Philippine University - developed remote-controlled cart to deliver medicine, food supplies to confined COVID-19 patients;

Easter Visayas State University - produces disinfection form mixing ethanol, hydrogen peroxide, glycerol and distilled water; and produced face masks and shields;

Saint Louis University - produced disinfectant chamber and aerosol boxes; face masks made of felt paper and coffee filters;

University of the Philippine - Diliman - produced low testing kits; N95 masks cleansing chamber; plasma treatment apparatus; and GIS tracker for PUIs

University of San Carlos - produced sanitations tents; disinfectant solutions; rice dispensers; and BIRDSEYE mobile apps; and

University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines - designed mobile isolated chambers, thermal scanners; misting booths and aerosol boxes.

Challenges
These solutions and provisions have positively impact the continuation of education in the Philippines, however, there are still challenges that need immediate attention:

The enrollment rate in basic education has ben steadily rising in the past years however, according to Magsambol (2020b), there are 24,723,533 students for school year 2020-21 lower by 3 million compared to last year. In addition, enrollment in private as well as state universities and colleges (SUCs) is expected to plunge by as much as 70 percent this coming school year (One News, 2020). This is due to economic hardships faced by students and their families caused by the COVID-19.

Private schools play a very crucial role in educating the young Filipino minds as their account for 16% of enrollment before the pandemic but there are now 748 out of 14,435 private basic educational institutions suspended operations affecting 3,233 teachers and 40,345 learners (CNN Philippines, 2020). In addition, more than 54% of the college students are in private schools Thus, the revenue loss is estimated at Php 55.2 billion (approximately USD1,146,366,000) if classes is to open last August 2020 (Manila Bulletin, 2020). On the top of the social and emotional implications to all educational stakeholders of school closure or transfer.

There is a need to train teachers and school leaders into the analysis, design, implement and assessment of distance learning in different modalities as according to DEPED there are only 95,156 teachers have been trained at this time or roughly 11% of the total teaching force of 847,467 (DEPED Commons 2020). The CHED shall implement developmental projects to assist institutions, faculty and students to transition to flexible learning (CHED CMO 4, 2020).

Although LMRDS, Commons and SLM DEPED; CHED OER Repository of CHED; and Resource Centers of different HEIs are adaptive and inclusive resource centers and there is provision for information sourcing, there is a need for a national leaning platform and a centralized module creation to ensure quality and standards.

There should a national plan for technology provisions for students and teachers specially those in the remote areas.

Key Learnings
The leadership by DEPED and CHED is commendable given the odds that Philippine education is facing before, during and even after COVID-19. The memos and advisories with collaborations with multi-stakeholders are consistent reminders that there is a working government mindful of its duty to continue education for all despite the continued challenges and difficulties. Also, noteworthy are educational institutions utilizing innovative approaches of how academics could inform policies; impact communities; and affect positive change specially during these trying times. In addition, the use of technology has been in the forefront of Philippine education, now being highlighted by the pandemic; and may it be online, offline, blended, tv/radio, printed module and other flexible modalities, it would remain as crucial part of the new learning and teaching after this pandemic. Lastly, education accounts for the top priority of any Filipino family; thus, the COVID-19 is just another educational crisis that would prove the resiliency of the Filipino people.

References

Asian Development Outlook (2020). Philippine Economy to Decline Further in 2020 Amid COVID-19, With Recovery in 2021. Asian Development Bank. https://www.adb.org/what-we-do/economic-forecasts/september-2020

Bordado, M. (2020). Rise of the HEIs: How Philippine Universities Respond to the COVID-19 Crisis. The Innovation for Social Impact Partnership (ISIP). https://www.isip-ph.com/blog/2020/5/5/heis-initiatives

CHED Advisory 1 (2020). Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Mitigation of the Spread of the 2019-Novel Coronavirus Acute Respiratory Disease (2019-nCoV ARD) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Commission on Higher Education. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/Guidelines-for-the-Prevention-Control-and-Mitigation-of-the-Spread-of-the-2019-nCoV-ARD-in-Higher-Education-Institutions-HEIs.pdf

CHED COVID-19 Advisory 2 (2020). Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Mitigation of the Spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Commission on Higher Education. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/CHED-COVID-2019-Advisory-No.-2.pdf

CHED COVID-19 Advisory 7 (2020). Guidelines for the Prevention, Control and Mitigation of the Spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Commission on Higher Education. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/CHED-ADVISORY-7-final.pdf

CHED Memorandum Order 4 (2020). Guidelines on the Implementation of Flexible Learning. Commission on Higher Education. https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/CMO-No.-4-s.-2020-Guidelines-on-the-Implementation-of-Flexible-Learning.pdf

CNN Philippines (2020). 748 private schools suspend operations this school year, DepEd says. https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/9/9/Private-schools-temporary-closure-DepEd-.html

Department of Health (2020). COVID-19 Tracker. https://www.doh.gov.ph/covid19tracker

DEPED Commons (2020). Towards A Working DepEd Common. Department of Education. https://commons.deped.gov.ph/deped-commons-roadmap.pdf

DEPED MELCS (2020). Most Essential Learning Competencies. Department of Education. https://commons.deped.gov.ph/K-to-12-MELCS-with-CG-Codes.pdf

DEPED Order No 12 s. Adoption of the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan for School Year 2020-2021 in Light with the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. Department of Education. https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/DO_s2020_012.pdf

UNESCO (2020). COVID-19 Impact on Education https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse

Macalde, J. R. (2020). Delivery Programs based on Student Connectivity Presentation on CHED-SEAMEO Joint Webinar

Magsambol, B. (2020a). Fast Checks. CHED Flexible Learning. Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/things-to-know-ched-flexible-learning

Magsambol, B. (2020b). Over 24 million Filipino students back to school during the pandemic. Philippine Daily Inquirer. https://www.rappler.com/nation/filipino-students-back-to-school-during-coronavirus-pandemic-october-5-2020

Manila Bulletin (2020). Private schools on the 'verge of closing down operations' due to COVID-19. https://mb.com.ph/2020/04/24/private-schools-on-the-verge-of-closing-down-operations-due-to-covid-19/

One News (2020). College Enrollment May Plunge By Up To 70 Percent, Officials Warn. https://www.onenews.ph/college-enrollment-may-plunge-by-up-to-70-percent-officials-warn

Philippine Daily Inquirer (2020). Students worry about online learning due to slow PH internet. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1267743/students-worry-about-online-learning-due-to-slow-ph-internet#ixzz6druP16CT

Ramos, C. M. (2020). COVID-19 impact study: Losses may hit P2.5 trillion; ease economic restrictions. Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1260203/ph-economy-may-lose-up-to-p2-5-trillion-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-pids-study#ixzz6dramBIj4

Teo, D. (2020). Over 7.3 million jobs lost in the Philippines due to COVID-19. HRM Asia. https://hrmasia.com/over-7-3-million-jobs-lost-in-the-philippines-due-to-covid-19/

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Continuity of Education in the Philippines

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Ferdinand B. Pitagan, PhD National Teachers College COVID-19 has disrupted education beyond our wildest imagination thus governments around the world are now rapid prototyping solutions on how to continue learning, teaching and services amidst the pandemic. This paper explores how the basic and higher education institutions in the Philippines transformed the delivery of instructions in the new normal; outlines challenges; and draws key learnings.

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Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the world was already off-track to achieve its education targets. If no additional measures are taken, only one in six countries will meet SDG4 and achieve universal access to quality education by 2030. An estimated 84 million children and young people will still be out of school and an estimated 300 million student will still not have the basic numeracy and literacy skills they need to succeed in life. To deliver SDG4, education systems must be re-imagined, and education financing must become a priority national investment.

Target 4.1: Between 2015 and 2021, the school completion rate increased from 85% to 87% in primary, from 74% to 77% in lower secondary and from 54% in 2015 to 58% in upper secondary education. Even before the onset of COVID19, these rates had slowed down relative to progress in 2010-15. Looking closely at reading levels at the end of primary school, for which trend data cover 34% of the world's children, the analysis shows that global learning levels showed no progress between 2015-2019. Furthermore, learning losses due to COVID-related school closures have been documented in 4 out of 5 of the 104 countries that have carried out such studies.

Target 4.2: Participation rate in organized learning one year before the official primary entry age has stagnated at around 75% since 2015, still far from the target of ensuring that all girls and boys have access to quality pre-primary education by 2030.

Target 4.3: Among 131 countries with data from 2017 onwards, on average approximately one in six youth and adults aged 15-64 recently participated in formal or non-formal education and training. Participation is substantially higher among youth aged 15-24 (40%-50%), compared to those aged 25-55 (only 5% for most regions).

Target 4.a: Basic school infrastructure is far from universal. In 2020, approximately a quarter of primary schools globally do not have access to basic services such as electricity, drinking water and basic sanitation facilities. For other facilities such as computer facilities and the provision of disability adapted infrastructure, figures are substantially lower, with around 50% of primary schools with access.

Target 4.c: Globally, in 2020, over 14% of teachers are still not qualified according to national norms, with little improvement since 2015.

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Goal 4 | Department of Economic and Social Affairs

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Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

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"A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labour exploitation and disease, and give them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential."― Audrey Hepburn, the iconic American actor.

"A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labour exploitation and disease, and give them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential," said Audrey Hepburn, the iconic American actress.

With the variety of schooling choices available in the UAE, parents often find themselves asking: is a quality education dependent on the fees a school charges?

The simple answer is no. What makes a school good has less to do with the school building or the socio-economic standards of those who go there. There are successful schools that offer free education and unsuccessful schools that cost a lot of money.

What are the key factors that make a school good?

To begin with, a good school will have a strong and professional staff and teachers. It will have a broad curriculum available to all students, a philosophy that every child has the ability to attain a high level of success. It will have a school climate that is conducive to learning, is safe, clean, caring and well-organised.

It will have on-going assessment systems that support good instruction and have learning and teaching practices that centre around every student. Lastly, it will have a high level of parent and community involvement and support.

Students of such schools achieve results that are above national standards, and are continuously recognised with local, regional and international awards and accolades that highlight their academic achievements or their talent in areas of arts, sports, drama, etc. These students also go on to attend some of the best universities and colleges around the world.

If we look at the best-performing school systems around the world, we see that they provide the opportunity for high-quality education to all students evenly. In Iceland, Estonia and Finland, for example, students tend to perform well regardless of their social background. We have also seen that 'public schools' systems in countries like New Zealand and Australia are filled to capacity and students there not only enjoy school, but have high success rates.

Role of good education is vast

We know that education plays a key role in providing individuals with the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to participate effectively in society and in the economy. In addition, education plays a large role in improving public health, civic participation, political interest and happiness.

We also know that having a good education plays a large part in finding a job and earning a good salary. It has been noted that highly educated individuals are less affected by unemployment trends, typically because educational attainment makes an individual more attractive in the workforce. Obtaining a good-quality education also has its social benefits. Studies have shown that educated individuals live longer, participate more actively in politics and in the communities in which they live; they commit fewer crimes and rely less on social assistance.

In some countries, we know that good-quality education can, and will, go a long way in providing a solution to poverty.

Parents are not just looking for a school with a high-quality education that will assist their children in coming up with their answers through exploration, experimentation and conversation, they are looking for many other things. They want their children to be guided by teachers, learn values and be provided with tools they will need in this ever-evolving world; and this can be done through classroom learning or through extra-curricular activities.

Everybody knows the value of a good school and, sometimes, parents will do whatever it takes to get their child enrolled in one. They will do anything in their power to give their children a head-start. Research has shown that parents are willing to spend more of their disposable income as an investment in their children's education.

(The writer is Principal, Gems Westminster School-Ras Al Khaimah.)

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"A quality education has the power to transform societies in a single generation, provide children with the protection they need from the hazards of poverty, labour exploitation and disease, and give them the knowledge, skills, and confidence to reach their full potential."― Audrey Hepburn, the iconic American actor.

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Michelle Abad is a researcher-writer at Rappler. Possessing the heart and soul of a feminist, she is working on specializing in women's issues in Newsbreak, Rappler's investigative arm.

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DepEd reminds students they may use multiple methods for distance learning

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Michelle Abad is a researcher-writer at Rappler. Possessing the heart and soul of a feminist, she is working on specializing in women's issues in Newsbreak, Rappler's investigative arm.

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"Children should return to in-person learning as soon as possible"

The cost of school closures on students' learning, health and well-being has been devastating.

The repercussions for every child, their family, their community and their economy will be felt for years to come. Many children will never catch up.

School closures impact every child, but the most vulnerable children hardest.

Some students have been able to access remote learning during school closures, but many of them have struggled due to a lack of support. At least a third of the world's schoolchildren had no access to remote learning at all.

"At least 1 in 3 schoolchildren had no access to remote learning during school closures"

School closures have led to reduced physical activity and poorer diets, increased levels of anxiety and self-harm, and exposure to domestic violence.

For many children the alternatives to school are child labour, child marriage and teenage pregnancy. Once this happens, it can be impossible for girls or boys to return to school.

Keeping children at home has also resulted in parents having to leave their jobs, especially in countries with no or limited family leave policies.

And this is despite the evidence showing that to date schools have not been a main driver of COVID-19 transmission in communities.

The World Health Organization recommends that it is only in extreme cases that school closures should be considered. And then only as a temporary measure of last resort.

It's clear: Governments need to prioritize support for schools and take all possible measures to reopen safely.

The future of the next generation depends on it.

"Schools should be the last to close and the first to reopen"

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"Children should return to in-person learning as soon as possible" The cost of school closures on students' learning, health and well-being has been devastating. The repercussions for every child, their family, their community and their economy will be felt for years to come. Many children will never catch up.

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© UNICEF/Tanya Bindra

Even before COVID-19, the world was not on track to meet reading and mathematics targets. In 2019, only 59 per cent of children of grade three age were proficient in reading. The pandemic is projected to cause an additional 101 million children (roughly 9 per cent of those in primary and lower secondary school) to fall below the minimum reading proficiency threshold, increasing the total number of students falling behind to 584 million in 2020. This wipes out the progress achieved in education over the past 20 years. Similar declines are observed in the area of mathematics.

Nearly two thirds of the children falling behind live in Central and Southern Asia and Eastern and South-Eastern Asia. The proficiency rate was already very low in sub-Saharan Africa before the pandemic, so learning losses in this region would likely occur among children below the minimum level of proficiency. Recovery of the learning deficit globally could occur by 2024, but only if extraordinary efforts are made.

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Progress to ensure that all children complete primary and secondary school has been slow. Between 2010 and 2019, the global primary and secondary school completion rates increased from 82 per cent to 85 per cent and from 46 per cent to 53 per cent, respectively. In sub-Saharan Africa, the primary completion rate rose from 57 per cent in 2010 to 64 per cent in 2019, while the secondary rate grew from 26 per cent to 29 per cent, leaving that region furthest behind.

Large disparities among population groups remain pervasive. Almost half of countries with data did not reach gender parity in primary school completion. Disparities by location and wealth are even more stark: only a third of countries reached parity in primary school completion between rural and urban students, and just one sixth of countries reached parity between students in the poorest and richest households. The pandemic is expected to further slow or even reverse progress in education completion. Growing poverty and the shift to remote learning make children from the poorest households and other vulnerable groups less equipped to participate and more likely to drop out permanently or for extended periods.

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Pre-COVID-19 data for 2012-2020 drawn from 76 mostly low- and middle-income countries and territories show that around 7 in 10 children aged 3 and 4 years are developmentally on track. Participation in organized pre-primary learning (one year before the official age for primary school entry) rose steadily before the pandemic, from 65 per cent in 2010 to 73 per cent in 2019, with gender parity achieved in every region. However, considerable variation was found among regions. Participation in early learning in 2019 was 43 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa, compared with 96 per cent in Latin American and the Caribbean. This progress has been threatened since 2020, since childcare and early education facilities have closed in most countries. Many young children are now entirely reliant on their parents or other caregivers at home. Unsafe conditions, negative interactions with caregivers, and lack of adequate stimulation and learning opportunities during the early years can diminish children's chances of success throughout their lives.

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Continuing education and training are key to improved livelihoods and to developing a labour force resilient to economic shocks and adaptable to technological change. Prior to the pandemic, the average participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education was only 25 per cent, with significant variation across the 73 countries with data. In nearly half of them, participation rates were below 10 per cent, but were 40 per cent and above among countries in Europe and Northern America. Gender parity in participation rates was achieved in less than a fifth of the countries.

With schools and workspaces transitioning online due to COVID-19, information and communication (ICT) skills have become critically important. However, available data from 2017-2019 indicate that less than 40 per cent of youth and adults reported performing one of the basic ICT skills in the last three months, such as sending an email with an attachment. Large differences in skill levels are found among various groups and occupations, but relatively smaller gender differences, especially at younger ages.

Improving basic school infrastructure is critical for school reopening, a first step on the road to recovery from COVID-19. Data from 2016 to 2019 show that, globally, more than a fifth of primary schools lacked access to basic drinking water or single-sex toilets, more than a third lacked basic handwashing facilities, and one in four did not have electricity. Internet service and computers in schools are even more scarce. Schools in LDCs face the biggest challenges. Almost half of primary schools in LDCs lack single-sex toilets-an important factor in girls' attendance-and more than two thirds are without electricity. The pandemic is spotlighting the importance of adequate sanitation facilities in keeping children safe at school and the need for ICT infrastructure to support remote learning. It is also highlighting additional infrastructure considerations, such as adequate classroom space, air filtration in school buildings, and access to the Internet and computers at home. The economic fallout of the crisis on education budgets and capital spending is likely to affect the ability of countries to make progress towards these ends, especially in the poorest countries.

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Goal 3 Goal 5

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Education must continue.

As quick response, educational institutions and organizations around the country are harnessing the different types of technology and modalities to continue learning, teaching and services during the pandemic.

DEPED has formulated different learning modalities that take into consideration the access and availability of technology and connection for learning. It employs distance learning designed to continue education even if the teachers and students are physically remote with each other through the use of online/offline technologies, tv and radio, and printed modules. Also, blended learning is the combination of any of these modalities while home schooling is primarily done at home with a caregiver as teacher.

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Modular learning is a form of distance learning that uses Self-Learning Modules (SLM) based on the most essential learning competencies (MELCS) provided by DepEd. The modules include sections on motivation and assessment that serve as a complete guide of both teachers' and students' desired competencies. | flipscience

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2. Radio and Television-based Instructions

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2. Radio and Television-based Instructions

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Television-Based Instruction is one of DepEd's learning modalities wherein educational materials and instructions will be broadcasted. To roll out the use of television-based instruction, the Department of Education (DepEd) launched DepEd TV, which airs K to 12 subjects from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Saturday.  It features “teacher-broadcasters” who underwent training on how to effectively deliver lessons via pre-recorded videos. | Philippine News Agency, 2020

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UNESCO: Global COVID-19 Response on Education

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UNESCO: Global COVID-19 Response on Education

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Let us protect our children, and safeguard their well-being.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres

In an effort to foster international collaboration and ensure that education never stops, UNESCO is mounting a response with a set of initiatives that include the global monitoring of national and localized school closures.

UNESCO in March 2020 launched the COVID-19 Global Education Coalition, a multi-sector partnership between the UN family, civil society organizations, media and IT partners to design and deploy innovative solutions. Together they help countries tackle content and connectivity gaps, and facilitate inclusive learning opportunities for children and youth during this period of sudden and unprecedented educational disruption.

UNICEF also scaled up its work in 145 low- and middle-income countries to support governments and education partners in developing plans for a rapid, system-wide response including alternative learning programmes and mental health support.

https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/education/

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UN chief on the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children (16 April 2020)

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In the Philippines, the term "e-learning" is used synonymously with online learning and concerns the online delivery of instructional content as well as associated support services to students.

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From the standpoint of DepEd, “blended learning” or “hybrid learning” is a fusion of online distant learning and in-person delivery of printed materials to the homes of the learners through the barangays for those who don’t have internet access and interactive facilities in the comforts of their home. | Custodio, A. 2020, The Manila Times

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UN chief on the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Children (16 April 2020)

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DepEd pushes online alternative for learners | Claudeth Mocon-Ciriaco

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With regular classroom sessions out of the question during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Department of Education is pushing for the use of DepEd Commons as an option for those who have access to Internet and gadgets such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers. The DepEd also said that...

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improves multi-tasking and time management skills

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improves multi-tasking and time management skills

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I can say that the online learning is very efficient in terms of multi-tasking; because it allows us to access more than 1 learning tools or websites at a time, which is something we don't need to pay for as long as we have internet connectivity as servers. This learning enhances our flexibility and at the same time, tests our time management with our responsibilities.

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Why should there be awareness and action for the social issue/problem?

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Why should there be awareness and action for the social issue/problem?

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Quality education is a serious matter that everyone should pay attention to, because our future's progression depends on how education is offered and delivered in the present.

Everyone has become impatient with the pandemic’s effect on the new-normal education system which according to DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, has caused a roughly 27 million pre-covid (2018) enrolment backlash to 24 million enrolees during the pandemic. With this, we must remember that a free access to quality education is a human right under the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Article XIV of the Republic of the Philippines; it is a human right, not a privilege.

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With the distance learning modalities, the learners, especially children at young ages, made the access for education free and ongoing under a much safer place and territory - their homes. This keeps youth away from possible risks on the spread of the virus in this global health crisis.

That is why distance learning was somehow a good alternative from the norm face to face classes in terms of prioritizing the learners' health and safety.

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With the help of the alternative learning modalities, learners and educators are given chance to participate through hands-on access to technology. Through this modality, namely online learning, learners become more literate with managing and working with computers and other devices. Somehow, this is an era that we can consider as an opportunity with harnessing our present generation's technical skills and mastery.

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With the use of video conferencing software, studying online is made even more interactive. Through these, it adds motivation to learners to strive more and continue learning despite the actual physical social interaction with teachers and classmates. Distance learning helped both learners and educators to still reach the class, virtually.

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Not everyone has personal spaces they could stay at while learning.
In this new-normal, online learning became an alternative learning modality which implies the need of av virtual presence of students. Not everyone has their private rooms they could consider their own learning area; others may live on a noisy environment, others are in a messy and crowded place. This is a description of how virtual learning is prone to distraction. In this case, not just only the student at a crowded place is affected, but also, the rest of the people in the virtual meeting.

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It is undeniably agreeable that face-to-face learning is totally different from virtual meetings. No matter what field or aspect we view this fact, physical learning will always remind us a better impact in terms of building confidence and self-motivation. Distance learning limits our time to interact with our friends, classmates, and teachers where we tend to need a quite long time to get to know stranger people virtually than in the actual. Due to lack of physical belongingness and interactions, some may feel unmotivated, unattentive, and nonparticipative.

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Ever since the pandemic came, mental health has always been a top topic accross the world. And, the distance learning has undeniably caused a great impact on students' mental health. The lack of social interaction in online learning leads to feelings of loneliness, lack of motivation, and isolation.

A study says virtual instruction may present serious risks to the mental health of children. "The difference is like night and day, especially for my kids," Stephanie Kokinos, a mother of two from New York City, said. "I think we've normalized this remote way of learning, and there's nothing normal about it." | CNN

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no learning devices; internet connectivity

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no learning devices; internet connectivity

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Not all learners, parents, and families can afford devices for online classes. This shows a sad reality that education slowly becomes a privilege and not a right. In this issue, the quality of education acquired by the students depends on the availability of their learning resources to cope with what is needed and required in the new learning set-up. This issue talks about the "capability" and "availability" of students in resources and connectivities.

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First thing in concern about new-normal education system is the quality of education itself that is delivered to learners at all levels. Free access to basic quality education is a human right, a person should stand living with. The pandemic's distance learning has caused a small paralysis with the education sectors of the world. Locally, this distance learning caused a roughly change in the number of 27 million enrollees on pre-covid tally to approximately turn in 24 million enrollees on the school year 2020-2021, said Department of Education Secretary, Leonor Briones.

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Under the circumstances, let us divert our attention from these bleak probabilities to what needs to be done at the earliest. First, we must admit that face-to-face interactions between teachers and students along with vibrant and healthy debates amongst peers within the classroom and outside are integral to quality teaching, as envisioned by the SDGs. Online education may complement this method of learning but cannot substitute it. Social and emotional learning — like empathy, attention, collaboration and negotiation, critical and creative thinking, growing awareness of multiple perspectives and developing respect for others who are different — are difficult to inculcate among students without face-to-face classroom teaching. Second, having said this, we have to understand that, when, for any reason — be it a pandemic or any other unforeseeable reason, classroom learning is not possible — online education may be a viable alternative provided. | Observer Research Foundation

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✊ YOU ARE NOT ALONE, WE ARE IN THIS, TOGETHER.

As ordinary citizens, we must keep an eye not just on the social issue itself and what it gave us, but to also dig deeper on the hardships experienced on the ground - a mental, emotional, and physical battlefield. In this, we must bear in mind the felt fear and emotional sacrifices of the learners, parents, and educators, as well as take into consideration the policies and orders raised by our national and local governments to secure our safety.

No matter how tiring it is for students to finish modules, for parents to guide their children in the distance learning, for the teachers and all the education sectors to process the situation, we must remember to put everyone's sake on our decisions and choices. We were challenged by the disaster together, and still, we will overcome this, together.

And, let us hope for a better quality of education for the present generation despite the health crisis. With our goal, quality education, let us strive harder to reach the authority about the concern of delivering a better quality we need for education. All together shall we be tougher than the tough pandemic we are facing. And, let us spread awareness about the worsening reality we are currently stuck at (yet, something we are slowly overcoming).

We got this, together, stronger!

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Simply, as ordinary citizens, we must remain committed to our duties of obeying the policies, orders and laws of our government about health protocols and measures in this time of crisis where our cooperation is very much needed.

These may sound familiar and cliché, but let us always follow the health protocols such as wearing face masks, avoiding physical contacts and crowded areas, maintaining social distancing, and sanitising from time to time.

I believe, our participation with stopping the spread of the virus is directly beneficial to our education system. This implies, the reopening of face to face classes as long as everyone stands against the problem.

Moreover, let us engage ourself with participation to our government, as well as how we view it, the government also is having a hard time that is why we need to unite as one nation in this run.

Additionally, let us continue to reach and help vulnerable people especially those students who are needing help. Patiently, we must keep the values of lending a helping hand to those who suffer.

Lastly, pray. We should remain hopeful for the greater and better things built and prepared ahead us. With out prayers and faith, believe that all this too shall pass

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CASCATO, Jezrahiah Glory C.
11 Hernandez
jgccascato@addu.edu.ph
- advocat-