MANILA - The Department of Education will hold this week the final dry run for its televised distance learning program as part of its preparations for the opening of classes on October 5.
Abram Abanil, director of the DepEd's information and communications technology services, said DepEd TV will have its final test broadcast through partner channels from Sept. 21 to Sept. 25.
"Importante itong dry run para mapag-praktisan ang mga logistical procedure," Abanil said Monday in a virtual press briefing.
The initial program of DepEd that will be aired starting October 5 will include 130 unique episodes for major subject areas.
The DepEd is eyeing to produce 220 episodes per week covering all K-12 subjects by January, Abanil said.
Lessons for kindergarten to Grade 3 students will also be dubbed into local languages next year, he added.
With nearly 200 teacher-broadcasters and 72 production staff members working to produce 130 episodes each week, the DepEd may be running for a Guinness World Record, Abanil said.
"Nasa 1,200 [episodes] ang lalabas for one month. Never pa 'yan nagawa worldwide," he said.
(We're going to air 1,200 episodes for a month. That's never been done worldwide.)
DepEd TV will air its episodes through IBC-13, Solar TV, Cignal TV, GMA-7, GSAT, PTV4, Planet Cable, Mabuhay Pilipinas TV and stations under the Philippine Cable and Telecommunications Association, among others.
Last month, social media users called the attention of the department after several grammatical errors were spotted during the test broadcast of DepEd TV.
But Education Secretary Leonor Briones said control measures were placed to avoid errors in the aired lessons.
Television-based instruction is one of the learning modalities under DepEd's distance education program, which will be implemented as in-person classes remain prohibited due to the continuing threat of COVID-19.
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