The Department of Education (DepEd) has adopted counter measures called Learning and Service Continuity Plans (LSCPs) meant to balance teaching interruptions with disasters and other forms of emergencies.
The agency announced on Friday the issuance of DepEd Order No. 022 providing revised guidelines on class and work suspensions amid typhoons, tropical cyclones, heavy rains and floods, earthquakes, power outages, extremely high temperatures, low air quality and crisis situations.
The new rules underscore the importance of in minimizing the disruption of learning delivery.
The LSCP mandates field offices and schools to identify suitable Alternative Delivery Modes (ADMs) for education, ensuring that even during calamities, the students have access to learning resources.
These ADMs may include modular distance learning, online education or blended approaches, depending on specific needs and local conditions.
The LSCP must also establish protocols for the safekeeping and storage of learning materials and devices to prevent damage during calamities. The plan must provide detailed procedures for distributing such materials, and can be easily accessed by learners when needed.
Furthermore, the guideline also includes a plan on mobilizing teachers, school heads, and other staff during emergencies. Training programs and capacity building activities, such as Learning Action Cells, must be promoted to prepare educators for the challenges of remote or alternative teaching methods.
The LSCP draws on assistance from local government units, parents, and community organizations to generate resources and ensure smooth implementation of continuity plans.
The schools are directed to integrate funding needs for disaster preparedness and recovery into their School Improvement Plans to ensure that resources for ADMs, make-up classes, and other initiatives are readily available whenever emergencies occur.
The LSCP must be crafted every three years alongside the School Improvement Plan, and will be reviewed and updated annually at the start of the school year.