UP CIDS holds roundtable discussion on education in the time of COVID

The University of the Philippines Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) hosted a roundtable discussion on the future of education in a lingering COVID environment entitled “Making our way back to the classroom.” The virtual event was held on 8 September 2021, 9:00 AM to 12:00 pm via Zoom. The recording of the webinar is archived in the UP CIDS Facebook page.
The virtual roundtable discussion tackled how the education sector is coping with the challenges of the pandemic. It also assessed its readiness for face-to-face classes.
Speakers from the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) discussed mechanisms and strategies to ensure continuity of quality education programs, as well as opportunities for collaboration among stakeholders.
In their latest pronouncement, the Department of Education (DepEd) will continue to adopt blended learning approach in the delivery of basic education for school year 2021-2022. DepEd also seeks to pilot face-to-face classes in 100 public schools and 20 private schools once the proposal is approved by President Rodrigo Duterte.
In February 2021, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) issued guidelines on the gradual reopening of higher education institutions for limited face-to-face classes. Recently, the COVID-19 Inter-Agency Task Force has endorsed CHED’s call to allow more college programs requiring hands-on experience to run limited in-person classes.
In May 2021, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) released Omnibus Guidelines for TVET under the New Normal Arrangements, prescribing the training and assessment arrangements for enforcing health and safety protocols, as well as training and national competency assessment processes. However, with the imposition of Enhanced Community Quarantine in August 2021, TESDA suspended face-to-face classes and competency assessment in affected areas.
With the recent changes in quarantine classifications and the adoption of new strategies in addressing COVID 19, the discussion hopes to draw out the plans of the agencies in continuing their programs in the unpredictable environment of the pandemic.
The webinar was spearheaded by the UP CIDS Education Cluster, composed of Assessment, Curriculum, and Technology Research Centre, Education Research Program, and Higher Education Research and Policy Reform Program.