DepEd allows flexible setup

THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) allowed private schools to adopt more flexible class arrangements and teacher training modalities as they brace for higher electricity costs under a national energy emergency triggered by the Middle East crisis.

Under memorandum No. 24 dated April 7, the department outlined measures enabling schools to continue operations while managing rising expenses.

Schools shifting to hybrid formats will no longer require prior approval, as long as they inform their respective Schools Division Offices at least five days in advance and detail how they will meet required learning standards.

“We want to give them the flexibility to manage rising operational costs while protecting the quality of learning,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo M. Angara said in a statement on Thursday.

Younger learners will remain mostly in face-to-face settings, with remote classes limited to one day per week for Kindergarten to Grade 6 students.

For older students, schools may implement up to two days of remote learning weekly for Grades 7 to 10, and up to three days for senior high school.

The agency also expects schools to increasingly move teacher training and professional development online or into hybrid formats to curb travel and energy use. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana