By Pigeon Lobien/Philippine News Agency
BAGUIO CITY — The Department of Education (DepEd) in Cordillera activated on Monday the “Oplan Balik Eskwela” to ensure a smooth opening of the school year 2019-2020 for 57,000 learners from pre-school to senior high school in the region on June 3.
Baguio Division assistant superintendent Soraya Faculo told Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Tuesday that a help desk has been set up at their office to cater to the needs of enrollees or their parents in time for the school opening.
She said enrollment has started in 67 public schools of the city.
This as the Brigada Eskwela, a community program by teachers, non-teaching school personnel, parents and volunteers to help provide a better learning environment for school children, is still ongoing to prepare the classrooms and facilities on opening day.
Faculo likewise said that training to upgrade skills of their 2,116 public school teachers is still ongoing as part of their capacity building enhancement program.
“(The) teachers are being trained in the different subject areas,” she said.
Faculo said the DepEd has come up with the Oplan Balik Eskwela done usually a week before school opening, to address problems and would-be issues that may be encountered on opening day.
“The Oplan Balik Eskwela is aimed to address issues of schools and parents on the opening of classes like kindergarten age requirement, ALS registration,” said Faculo
She said the “ALS” or alternative learning system is a parallel learning system that provides a practical option to the existing formal instruction for students who do not have access to formal education. This allows the out-of-school youth (OSY) to still be able to complete a primary and secondary education even if they do not attend the regular school.
The DepEd came up with the ALS to aid the OSY and provide an opportunity for them enter college after passing the ALS assessment and examination, giving the eligibility to acquire an elementary and or a high school certificate of completion.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan has also directed the Baguio City Police Office to have a strong presence in the different schools.
The city information office also reported of the city government’s donation of assorted tools and vegetable seeds to the Division of City Schools for the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” (school garden) last week.
The deed of donation signed by Domogan and City Schools Superintendent, Dr. Federico Martin and concurred by the city council saw also the acquisition of an irrigation kit good for 500 square meters farm layout for strawberry to Bilis Sto. Tomas Central Farmers and Livelihood Association.
The donated equipment will be under the exclusive use of DepEd Baguio Division and the farmers’ group.
DepEd-Baguio and the farmers’ group are likewise tasked to submit a monthly activity report to the Agricultural Service Division of the City Veterinary Office.
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