Cotabato City (May 10, 2020)—Bangsamoro Government’s Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE-BARMM) considers carrying out Distance Education or Online Learning for School Year 2020-2021.
This is after key officials from the Department of Education (DepEd) conducted a series of deliberations on the setting up of the “new normal”.
“Continue ‘yung consultation para mapakinggan ang suggestions ng kapuluan para sa different learning methods na applicable sa situation natin katulad ng Distance Education,” MBHTE Chief of Staff Atty. Haron Meling said yesterday, May 9, 2020, on-air via Radyo Bangsamoro.
[The consultation is ongoing for the committee to deliberate the most convenient alternative schooling methods applicable for various areas in the country such as the Distance Education.]He added that during earlier weeks of March, five sessions of the Management Committee Teleconference of DepEd have already been started, wherein Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) was underscored.
“Kabilang ang Learning Continuity Plan sa mga hakbang na gagawin upang mas maging accessible ang mga mag-aaral na nakatira sa probinsya.”
[Learning Continuity Plan is one of the alternative educational methods among all others designed for every student, including those coming from the rural areas.]Under the official statement published by DepEd, “LCP includes key features on K-12 curriculum adjustments; alignment of learning materials; various modalities of delivery; and corresponding teacher and parent/guardian training for homeschooling.”
Additionally, Atty. Meling said that since some remote areas of the Bangsamoro region do not have good internet services to support the class, the committee is pushing forward to make the class files downloadable or ready-to-print for the students.
He also added that MBHTE – BARMM Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal conducted a regional LCP survey meeting with the heads of Schools Division Superintendent of Maguindanao 1 and 2 districts, and other schools district supervisor pursuant to the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) LCP national survey on Friday, May 8, 2020.
The said meeting is a prelude and among the many efforts undertaken by the office in adjusting to the new state of Philippine Educational System amid crisis.
“The MBHTE-BARMM will be ‘leaning’ towards this coming August 24, as the start of the new school year and will end in April 2021,” Atty. Meling said reiterating the words of DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones.
“The newly hired teachers will report on their work on June 1st, ito ay maaring physical or online,” he added.
[It could be either physical mode or through online educational platform.] (Bureau of Public Information) 
