DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Sept. 1 (PIA) – The Department of Education (DepEd) Negros Oriental Schools Division has presented some initiatives and innovations in managing the delivery of instruction amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his State of the Division Address (SODA) during a “Tigom” Stakeholders' Convergence in Dumaguete City, DepEd Schools Division Supt. Senen Priscillo Paulin thanked various stakeholders who have been supportive and committed to the division's education initiatives for the learners.

He said that despite some challenges, education continues through different learning modalities in support of the basic education-learning continuity plan (BE-LCP).

The current status of the schools along with accomplishments and learning recovery plan was presented as more schools would open their doors for physical learning or face-to-face classes.

The division of schools in the province is composed of 36 districts with 426 public and 19 private elementary schools, 118 public secondary schools, and 21 private high schools.

“Education is most challenged but very vital to continue in our system, and using a modality that could not assure a very effective learning, but we have to do it just to provide education,” Paulin said.

As part of its initiatives, the division has set up a community academic pantry (CAP) where packed food were handed out alongside the module distribution to increase parents’ participation.

It also launched responsive and appropriate programs like Literary Enhancement (LE) centered in improving the literacy level of every pupil, while home-based learning tool kits were given to parents and setting up virtual class sessions.

The schools division has reached out to IPs (indigenous people) in the towns of Mabinay and La Libertad by developing, contextualizing, localizing, and indigenizing the self-learning modules for IP learners.

For Junior High Schools, special programs have been developed in the field of performing arts, visual arts, sports, foreign language, journalism, among others.

For Senior High Schools students, DepEd introduced “Grow Local, Go Global” program to develop meaningful linkages with local industries to prepare learners for local and global opportunities.

In response to the SODA, Gov. Pryde Henry Teves also challenged the district school supervisors and teachers to employ some manners of teaching such as using whistles to get the pupil’s attention to follow simple instructions and step up the promotion of nationalism and reading comprehension in the elementary level.

Teves has pledged to support the DepEd Negros Oriental Division and committed to provide connectivity and internet access to schools from the school board funds around P100 million to boost the online learning requirements of their students. (JCT/PIA7 Negros Oriental)