THE DEPARTMENT of Education recently held a webinar aimed at providing strategies and best practices for parents to improve the home learning experience of Filipino students.

“Parents play a vital role in the success of the learners not only in the lessons they learn from the teachers, but also in the guidance to nurture holistically developed individuals,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

While collaborative efforts from different sectors helped families adapt to the blended learning setup, the agency recognizes that further capacity-building activities must be offered to parents.

During the program hosted by the Schools Division Office of Las Piñas City, Undersecretary for Legislative Affairs, External Partnerships, and Project Management Service Tonisito M.C Umali, Esq. emphasized the important roles of parents and Parents-Teachers Associations in the implementation of the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan.

“Tayo po [ngayon ay] nakatutok sa pagbabalangkas po [ng 2021 Omnibus Guidelines on the Regulation of Operations of Parents-Teachers Associations]. Mas komprehensibo po ito [at] masinop na pong konsultasyon ang nangyayari dito, at inaasahan po natin na sa mga susunod na linggo ay mailalabas na [ito],” Umali shared.

Dr. Aser B. Javier, an International Governance consultant and DepEd-EPS consultant, shared four significant roles that parents play in the education of their children: Facilitator of Learning, Assessor of Child Self-Directed Learning, Community Mobilizer of Learning, and Enabler of Love for Learning.

“Sa pamamagitan nito [webinar] ang mga magulang ay magkakaroon ng mahuhusay na mga pamamaraan upang masigurado na ang ating mga anak ay hindi mahihinto ang pag-aaral sa panahon ng pandemya. Pinakaimportante na malaman at masiguro na ang bata ay mag-aaral at matututo kahit siya ay nasa bahay. We can realize that our role [as parents] is very important for the growth of your child so that learning will not be lost,” Javier said.

The education department is set to establish home learning spaces for School Year 2021-2022 by assisting selected learners from the 20 poorest provinces and urban poor families in the National Capital Region and selected SDOs in Region IV-A Calabarzon.