This is it, the school year 2020-2021 is finally happening for millions of Filipino learners in public schools as the country continues to grapple against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The Department of Education (DepEd) division in Misamis Oriental virtually welcomes its incoming students during today’s online opening ceremony. Hundreds of teaching and non-teacher personnel, as well as school division heads, participated on Friday in the regionwide opening program via Zoom and Facebook LIVE. Education Regional Director IV Arturo Bayocot highlighted the department’s dedication to search for alternative methods to continue delivering education amid the pandemic. He added that having to offer variations of alternative delivering modes such as blended learning and modular learning, the department ensures that no learner “will be left behind.” Likewise, erase the apprehensions of students and doubts of the parents. Misamis Oriental Governor Yevgeny Vicente Emano, on the other hand, thanked the bravery of every teacher. In leading the community and showing the next generation that a pandemic such as COVID-19 will now stop and end the region’s education.  

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  “The preparation for the school year 2020-2021 has been long and tedious for our teachers especially. Since the outbreak, the [DepEd] has changed its strategem with a stronger character just to continue delivering its mandate to the Filipino people,” said Education Superintendent Jonathan Dela Peña during the virtual opening ceremony. “It has been eight months of looking for solutions, creation innovations, diversifying methodologies, forging collaborations, expanding partnerships, and of harnessing, optimizing, and maximizing resources for our personnel and teacher of Misamis Oriental,” Dela Peña added. During the virtual ceremony, the regional department reiterated the required health standard and the different learning modalities. Moreover, mental health webinars will be scheduled for all teaching and non-teaching personnel. For learners, the DepEd will provide psychosocial activities through comics (elementary) and SEES module on Psychological First Aid (secondary). DepEd will adopt three alternative learning modalities for the school year 2020-2021: Modular distance learning uses self-learning modules in printed or digital format; Online distance learning uses the Internet in downloading learning materials and uploading homework; Radio/TV-based instruction for learners who have no Internet connectivity. Meanwhile, Blended learning is a mix of online distance learning, modular distance learning, and radio/TV-based instruction can also be an option for some students. DepEd also announced the continuation of its feeding program for its severely wasted and wasted beneficiaries. Under the milk feeding program, its beneficiaries will receive fresh milk allowance for 20 days—the first batch will receive it in October, while the second batch will receive it in November. The hot meal feeding program, on the other hand, will serve its beneficiaries for 60 days starting November. This initiative is part of its mitigation objectives, which help increase the learners’ physical resilience. Schools in each district will also implement various precautionary steps to reduce transmission, contact, and, if possible, minimize infection duration.   —

Follow DepEd Tayo Misamis Oriental for up-to-date advisories.