The opening of school year 2020-2021 in Western Visayas went smoothly although there are schools that are yet to commence because their modules were distributed just Monday.

“For almost all schools that are done with the distribution of modules, the opening is smooth sailing,” Dr. Lea Belleza, information officer of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas, said in an interview.

Belleza said the series of orientation with parents and learners helped a lot in ensuring the smooth opening.

“As of this time, we have not received any complaints in our help desk,” she said.

During its press conference last week, DepEd said around 64 percent of the learners in the region are into modular learning modality. Others are into online, blended, and television-based, among others.

For those that are into online learning, the challenge was the intermittent internet signal, Belleza said.

As of Monday, DepEd 6 recorded 1,755, 213 enrollees from kindergarten to senior high school and 4,719 for non-graded enrolled in public schools; 3,135 in local universities and colleges/state universities and colleges (LUCs/SUCs); 151,891 from kindergarten to senior high school and 66 for non-graded in private schools; and 31, 259 for alternative learning system.

Belleza said they would be able to determine the breakdown of the learning modalities in a week or two once everything is already in place.

Dr. May Jenny Arcena, principal of the Don Eugenio Ladrido Memorial Elementary School (DELMES) in Lambunao, Iloilo, said modules for the pupils were distributed “earlier than scheduled”.

The distribution was done Thursday and Friday last week for its around 1,405 learner population.

“Our Week 2 modules are ready,” she said in a separate interview, adding they have not encountered problems in the reproduction of materials, especially they have support coming from the local government unit in kind and financial, and from various donors.

She added they will also continue to accept learners who would like to enroll even if classes have already started since they always consider that the delivery of education reaches to every learner who would like to learn.

Meanwhile, learners are divided by clusters where a team leader is tasked to monitor each cluster composed of barangays where there are enrollees from DELMES.

“From time to time, our teacher-adviser will be accepting calls from parents if parents will contact them with regard to answering their modules. At the same time, teachers will make a follow up,” she added. (PNA)