MANILA — Some students will have to share their self-learning modules (SLMs) next year due to lack of funding for the production of the materials, the Department of Education said Monday.
Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said the DepEd could follow a 1:1 module-to-student ratio for the first 2 grading periods of the coming school year.
But some students might need to share their SLMs next year since the DepEd is short on funds for the printing of the materials under the proposed 2021 budget, she said.
"Baka in 2021, hindi natin maibigay ang 1:1 kasi ang funding natin [for modules] is only P15 billion," Sevilla said in a virtual press briefing, clarifying statements made during the department's budget hearing at the House of Representatives last week.
(Maybe in 2021, we won't be able to give the 1:1 module-to-student ratio because our funding is only P15 billion.)
The department needs P35 billion to P40 billion to cover the printing of modules for the last 2 quarters of School Year 2020 to 2021, as well as the next academic year.
Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said printed modules will be rotated among students.
"Ang importante dito ay nadi-disinfect ang modules bago ito ilipat sa susunod na gagamit, and this is perfectly allowed," he said.
(What's important here is the modules are disinfected before they are given to the next learner who will use them, and this is perfectly allowed.)
The government has allocated P606.5 billion of its proposed P4.5 trillion budget for next year, for DepEd, which, in the coming school year, will implement a shift to distance learning due to the continuing threat of COVID-19.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones has said the department hopes schools would be less dependent on printed modules, citing high costs and its negative impact on the environment.
education, Department of Education, DepEd budget, 2021 budget, self-learning modules, printed modules, distance learning, blended learning, COVID-19 education, COVID-19 pandemic