MANKAYAN, Benguet – The supplier of the 15 heavy duty photocopiers for the different public elementary and secondary schools in the municipality formally delivered the aforesaid equipment in time for use during the implementation of the blended learning right at the start of regular classes for schoolyear 2020-2021 on October 5, 2020.
Mayor Frenzel A. Ayong said that the purchased units of photo copiers will be in addition to the 2 photo copiers that came from the provincial government and an exiting photocopier that will be eventually distributed to the 18 clusters of schools for the reproduction of the modules for learners enrolled for the coming schoolyear.
Based on the data obtained from the district office of the education department, there are some 36 public elementary and secondary schools that are distributed in the town’s 12 barangays for the basic education requirements of the enrolled students.
Mayor Ayong stated the funds used to procure the photocopiers were sourced from the municipal school board fund as part of the support of the municipal government to the implementation of the blended learning for the upcoming schoolyear to allow the enrolled students to pursue their studies amidst the ongoing wrath of the dreaded Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
He claimed the municipal government continues to coordinate with school officials on the priority needs of their schools for the opening of classes and the continuation of the blended learning program so that any available resource provided will be maximized for such needs while awaiting the support of concerned stakeholders.
According to him, the municipal government deferred the fabrication of wash stations by local machine shops because of the implementation of blended learning and will await the resumption of face-to-face classes before installing such facilities to compel students to adhere to the established health and safety protocols, particularly the observance of proper handwashing to prevent them from contracting the deadly virus.
The municipal chief executive underscored that local officials are committed to extend any available support to the education department to ensure the successful implementation of blended learning in the different public elementary and secondary schools as most of the students opted to pursue their studies through the modular form.
He reported that barangay officials were also tapped by the municipal government to help in the distribution and retrieval of the modules from the residences of the enrolled students to allow the teachers to closely monitor the progress of their students and implement added strategies for students to cope with the new normal of studying.
Further, police personnel, barangay tanods and other volunteers were also tapped to help in ensuring the modules for the initial weeks of classes will already be in the hands of the pupils and students for their review and to start working on the same while awaiting the instructions from their teachers on how to go about the conduct of the lessons for the current schoolyear.
By HENT