The Department of Education in Eastern Visayas will not just depend on self-learning modules to ensure a more responsive basic education learning this academic year, an official said on Monday.

Jasmin Calzita, DepEd Eastern Visayas regional information officer, said they are stepping up the use of online and offline platforms as well as radio and television-based instructions, as they embark on the second year of distance learning.

“Learning from our experiences in the previous year this time, the learning modality will not be solely dependent on printed modules. Other modalities will be implemented whichever are feasible for our learners,” Calzita told the Philippine News Agency in a phone interview.

“Feasible modalities” have been chosen by parents when they filled up the learner’s enrollment and survey form.

“The printed self-learning modules are still useful until this time for as long as they are secured. We will complement it with other learning modalities to make learning delivery more effective,” Calzita added.

The self-learning modules available in schools and field offices are also converted into DepEd television episodes and radio-based lessons for flexibility of the modality.

Completed episodes of DepEd television have been airing over stations, such as IBC 13, GMA7, Cignal, GSat, Grace TV, Solar, Planet Cable, Pacific Kabelnet, Mabuhay Pilipinas TV, and PCTA members, and simultaneously played in radio counterparts.

In the previous school year, DepEd TV produced 1,107 video lessons in the first quarter and 320 in the second quarter aligned with the most essential learning competencies.

Meanwhile, as of Sept. 13, the region listed 998,909 enrollees, which were lower than the 1,265,851 registered school children last year.

In a statement, DepEd Eastern Visayas regional director Ma. Gemma Ledesma thanked all education stakeholders for providing resources to ensure learners continuity amid the pandemic.

“Education is a shared responsibility by our school, home, and community. Let us unite for our children to provide equitable and quality education,” Ledesma said.

This school year, Eastern Visayas has 4,178 public elementary and secondary schools with 50,325 teachers assigned in six provinces and seven cities. (PNA)