MANILA - The Department of Education said Wednesday it was eyeing to fund the hiring of displaced teachers as tutors through the Bayanihan 2, government's second coronavirus response measure.
Under the measure, some P300 million is allotted for teachers and non-teaching personnel displaced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some 440 private schools would be temporarily ceasing operations in the coming academic year due to lack of enrollees, the agency earlier said.
Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said some of the department's regional directors have reported that part of their distance learning delivery would involve the hiring of teacher facilitators.
"I believe there have been partnerships as reported with DOLE on the ground as part of the work assistance to the teachers... We are also looking to the Bayanihan 2 and we will actively engage the process of the implementation of the Bayanihan 2 programming to hopefully include this in its operationalization," he told ANC.
"It will be on a need basis still and on the part of the private schools we will need also their assistance... for a clear listing of these displaced teachers. I think that will have to come from the private schools association themselves."
Malaluan, meantime, said the number of hours that a student will spend learning would depend on the class programming of the region or his school.
This after Education Undersecretary Jesus Mateo earlier said students may spend up to 7 to 8 hours studying at home or attending online classes, as an adjustment to the new academic calendar.
"A big part of the distance learning delivery modality would involve self-directed learning. While there will be a definite time period, there will be a lot of self-based learning that will be happening at home," he said.
The agency is currently conducting dry runs in preparation for the school opening on October 5, he added,
"These dry runs we are doing are informing the regionwide how it is being done by example and of course there will be a lot of learning by doing in the first quarter, Malaluan said.
ANC, Matters of Fact, DepEd, displaced teachers, Bayanihan 2, online tutors, COVID-19, coronavirus