VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio reminded teachers to focus on teaching academics to keep up with the learning losses brought about by the Covid19 pandemic.

“Nandito kami para kumustahin kayo sa pagbubukas ng ating mga classes at i-remind kayo na kailangan nakatutok tayo sa academics ng ating mga estudyante to catch up on the learning losses during the two years na hindi sila nakapag-in-person classes dahil meron talagang kaibahan ang pure online na klase at yung merong in person classes para sa ating mga learners,” Duterte said during her visit at the Don Pedro Vasquez Memorial School in Jordan, Guimaras over the weekend.

Duterte-Carpio also noted some traditional school activities will not push through this year as DepEd’s direction is to prioritize the academic development of the students.

“Ngayong taon po wala tayong Palarong Pambansa pero sa susunod na taon gumagawa sila ng draft proposal para sa Palarong Pambansa,” she said.

“Meron tayong ilalabas na department order na nagsasabing dapat co-curricular at academic activities lang ang gagawin this school year. So ang mga extra-curricular activities ay ipinag-babawal po natin,” she added.

The still-to-be-released department order, according to Duterte, will specify standards of school activities allowed for this school year.

“Nilagay na po namin doon ang listahan paano tayo mag-identify ng extra-curricular at kung paano tayo mag-identify ng co-curricular,” Duterte-Carpio said.

The Don Pedro Vasquez Memorial School has 11 teachers and 293 students.

Insufficient number of classrooms is also one of the major challenges of the school to accommodate their students.

Duterte-Carpio said since the construction of classrooms is devolved to the local government units, DepEd is only permitted by the Department of Budget and Management to construct school buildings in 5th and 6th class municipalities, the last mile schools, and those belonging to the geographically isolated and disadvantaged Areas.

She, however, said the department has been communicating with the DBM to allow DepEd to implement school constructions.

“Sinabi naman po namin sa kanila, naka-ilang sulat na po si Sec. Briones. Sumulat na rin po ako sa kanila, inulit ang position ng Department of Education na ‘wag i-devolve ang constructions ng school building program sa ating mga LGUs dahil hindi pare-pareho ang kapasidad ng mg LGUs at hindi binigyan ng mandato ang mga LGUs na yung matatanggap nila na pera ay dapat ipagawa nila ng school buildings,” she explained.

“Patuloy naming kinakausap ang DBM at patuloy kaming nagre-request sa Office of the President na i-exclude ang school building program sa pagbigay nito sa mga LGUs para nandito pa rin sa Department of Education ang mga pagpapagawa ng classrooms sa lahat ng LGUs natin,” she added.

Duterte-Carpio also shared some good news to the teachers, like the creation of additional positions in the organization for the promotion of teachers and the non-monetary incentives being studied to provide more support to the teaching force as recommended by the Department of Labor and Employment.