The Role of Parents on Alternative Delivery Learning Modalities

Amidst health threat brought by CoVid 19 pandemic, education must

continue. And so, the Department of Education has led to make a stand
move in formulating alternative learning mode which is called Learning
Continuity Plan (LCP) to ensure that learning continues while ensuring the
health, safety and well being of all learners, teachers, and other DepEd
employees. Since face-to-face learning is too far possible, DepED must
adopt alternative modes of learning delivery modalities which are
recommended to be used in the new learning set up namely; Modular
Distance Learning, Online Distance Learning, TV/Radio-based Instruction
and Blended Distance Learning.
As our government prepares for the “new normal’ in education due
to some adjustments brought about by the pandemic, DepEd
accentuates the significant role of parents and guardians. Parents have
always been the influencers in the holistic development of their children. In
fact, they are the first teachers since education always starts at home.
They give them the basic skills needed to adapt in the school atmosphere.
In this time of pandemic, parents and guardians find themselves at the
battleground of continuous education once more. They have the important
task to ensure that their children receive quality education without
compromising their health and safety. Although classrooms are forced to
close their doors to learners, countless parents or guardians are
intensifying their support to their children who are adjusting to the new set-
up for the incoming school year. However, we cannot deny the fact that
some but not all of them are ready to this new learning set up. For
example, if online distance learning will be used, there are several
considerations that would require parents’ participation and
involvement such as the technology to be used like gadgets, internet
connection, the knowledge of some parents with regards to technology
devices. Another in terms of facilitating learning of their children, there
are parents who have limited or worst, no knowledge on the content of
the self-learning modules and some have problems in providing guidance
in the viewing, exploring and listening time. Such considerations may
bring adversity in facilitating, supervising, and monitoring of the learning
flow and learning progress of the children.
As one of the initiatives of DepEd, it encourages every school to
conduct orientation to the parents on the policies and directions of every
learning mode of delivery. Questions from the parents regarding the
implementation of the mode of deliveries are answered by the schools.
The schools assure the parents that regardless of whom their children are
and where they are, quality education is reachable to all.
At the end of the day, it is up to the parents or guardians as to what
extent could they support the education of their learners in this new
normal. Strong collaborative effort of the parents to the teachers can make
things orderly. If parents and teachers have cordial connection, learners
become more interested and motivated in doing their role within that
connection. Effective communication between parents and teachers
means better academic achievements of the learners despite pandemic
threat.