Learning Recovery is Community Effort - Parents, Teachers Election candidates urged to bare education platform

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Parents, teachers, and education advocates on Wednesday urged for strengthened local and community-based interventions to help improve early grade learning (kindergarten to grade 3), amid the pandemic.

 

“Education is a community effort. Lahat dapat magtulungan (We need to help each other),” said Quintin Atienza, Education Governance Manager of the ABC+: Advancing Basic Education in the Philippines (ABC+ Project), an initiative of the Department of Education (DepEd) supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and RTI International.

 

“Education, especially early grade education, is not the responsibility of the education sector or DepEd alone. Everyone, from the local government units (LGUs) to the private sector, has an important role in helping teachers and parents improve early grade learning,” Atienza also said during a webinar with education stakeholders.

 

Because of the pandemic, regular face-to-face classes have been suspended and shifted online for almost two years now. “Distance learning poses a challenge to improving early grade education,” shared Eden Capapas, a grade 2 teacher from Roxas City. “Interaction between students and their teacher, an important process for literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional learning, is strained in an online set-up,” she said.

 

“In an online set-up for children in the early grades, parents are stepping into a bigger role for their children. We are essentially secondary teachers,” said Emilyn Luceña, a parent-leader from Iriga City, in Filipino. “Because of this, our capacities and skills are also being put to the test,” she added.

 

Local problems with local solutions

 

“These are local problems that can have local solutions. Community-based programs targeting parents, teachers, and learners have to complement national government efforts,” urged John Patrick Sedantes, Executive Director of CHILDInitiative, a partner of ABC+ Project in Western Visayas.

 

“Assistance from the LGU, private sector, and community leaders can build parents’ capacity on the use of gadgets and other learning materials so that we can better help our children in their online classes,” he said. “Donations from the private sector and earmarked funds from the LGU can go to supplementary learning materials, gadgets, internet devices, and learning hubs, among others,” he also said.

 

Education platform for early grade learning urged

 

Candidates for the upcoming local and national elections should also commit to improve early grade education in the country and bare their education platform and learning recovery plan, urged Roy Layosa of the Coalition for Bicol Development, a partner of ABC+ Project in Region V.

 

“Education is an election issue. Candidates who wish to be our new set of leaders should present their education platform, including a learning recovery plan from the two years of online classes, especially now that Filipino children are being vaccinated and DepEd is piloting limited face-to-face classes,” Layosa said. “What is the post-quarantine set-up for Filipino early grade learners and how do we ensure that no Filipino child is left behind?” he asked.

 

US gov’t congratulates DepEd

 

The United States (US) government, through USAID, also extended its congratulations to DepEd during the webinar. “We would like to congratulate DepEd for the successful implementation of the limited face-to-face classes,” said Yvette Malcioln, Acting Director of Education of USAID in the Philippines.

 

“[C]ommunities were able to mobilize ways to make sure that modules and learning materials reach children and that they continue learning – a testament to the Filipino spirit of bayanihan,” she added. “The U.S. government, through USAID, is a proud partner of the Philippine government in improving the education of children,” she concluded.

Usher In A New Era Of Luxury With the GHM Guest Experience Signatures

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The gradual recovery of international tourism has revealed the emergence of new luxury travel trends that reflect the sense of individuality and wellbeing, such as the acute need for hyper-personalisation, restorative escapism and heightened levels of indulgence. Well-poised to embrace this new generation of travellers is the inimitable creator of stylish hotels and resorts, General Hotel Management Ltd (GHM), renowned for delivering unrivalled lifestyle experiences in some of the most luxurious destinations in the world.

Bringing to life its hallmark “A Style to Remember,” GHM has refined a series of 19 touchpoints under its Guest Experience Signatures to deliver exquisitely distinctive and exceptionally memorable guest experiences guided by six brand essences: timeless, elegant, personal, contemporary, authentic and sensorial. Melding core elements of contemporary Asian designs with local nuances for a pronounced sense of place, each GHM property showcases the very best of each destination, an ensemble of passionate associates and unmatched personalised services.

The journey begins even before one sets foot into the hotel with a luxury transfer to the property, where a meet and greet entourage eagerly awaits each guest at the lobby with a grand welcome. The arrival experience (pictured above) includes a set of personalised welcome rituals and bespoke amenities that imbibes each newcomer with a sense of arrival, featuring a selection of beverages and snacks reflective of the land and warm, comforting towels that carry an artfully blended signature hotel scent.

The culinary experience is a definitive touchpoint as it invokes extensive visual and sensorial delights for an immersive gourmet indulgence. From interactive show kitchens and food stations featuring a repertoire of global flavours, to artfully crafted menus at signature restaurants and an in-room Sweet Delight button to end each day on a sweet note, every detail has been deliberated down for a truly exclusive dining experience.

Inspired by the Asian art of healing and wellness, the spa and wellness experience echoes GHM’s inimitable Asian identity and style of hospitality, with a repertoire of exquisite treatments that exemplify the Chedi Spa philosophy with influences from the destination as well as The Chedi Spa Suite devoted to the enhancement of one’s mind, body and soul.

The Departure Experience marks the final touchpoint of the Guest Experience Signatures as the meet & greet entourage bids fond farewell to guests. Farewell gifts encapsulating the essence of the destination are presented to commemorate their time at The Chedi and to inspire their next arrival.

“For three decades, GHM has earned critical acclaim as an inimitable creator of stylish hotels and resorts. In the new era of travel, these thoughtfully enhanced touchpoints reinforce our 30-year legacy of hospitality excellence by elevating our Guest Experience Signatures so as to captivate the evolved luxury traveller. Each distinct experience has been refined to deliver unique and inspiring moments with unparalleled attention to detail,” said Tommy Lai, chief executive officer of GHM.

This year, GHM will be celebrating its pearl anniversary in commemoration of 30 years of A Style to Remember. Milestones in 2022 include the highly anticipated opening of The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort in Doha, Qatar, where GHM’s Guest Experience Signatures will be incorporated as its backbone of exclusive offerings, dedicated services and personalised experiences that are unique to this landmark property.

DepEd launches Galaw Pilipinas as National Calisthenics Exercise Program to promote active lifestyle

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To promote an active lifestyle among Filipinos, the Department of Education (DepEd) has launched the Galaw Pilipinas, the Department’s National Calisthenics Exercise Program that will be part of the daily exercise routine in schools and community learning centers.

 

Galaw Pilipinas is a four-minute calisthenics routine that shall contribute to the 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity prescribed daily for children of 5-17 years of age.

 

"The Department developed Galaw Pilipinas as a response to the impact of the pandemic to our learners' reduced physical activities that affected their overall health. Our role in promoting physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle among our learners has become even more relevant and essential. One avenue of promoting physical fitness among learners is by doing calisthenics," Education Chief Leonor Magtolis Briones noted.

 

The Office of the Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction, through the Bureau of Curriculum Development (BCD), developed Galaw Pilipinas through a series of workshops attended by PE supervisors and Special Program in Sports implementers.

 

“Galaw Pilipinas stresses the value and the need of our learners, teachers, and school officials to pay attention not only to our cognitive and affective pursuits, but also to make sure that our bodily-kinesthetic capacities are strengthened,” Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said.

 

The routine was inspired by simple steps inspired by Philippine folk dances, festival movements, and arnis stances in recognition as the national martial art and sport.

 

During limited face-to-face learning, the routine can be performed by learners and the entire school community in every flag-raising ceremony, flag retreat, before the start of the class, or any school-initiated activity. Meanwhile, under the distance learning modality, this shall be performed by all learners as stipulated in the weekly home learning plan provided by teachers.

 

To ensure inclusivity, the intensity of the execution of Galaw Pilipinas shall vary according to the type of learners and their essential stages. The steps and movements may be modified according to the needs and contexts of learners with disabilities (LWDs).

 

DepEd field offices, teachers, learners, and other stakeholders may access the promotional and tutorial videos through this link: https://tinyurl.com/DepED-Galaw-Pilipinas. It will also be available through other DepEd platforms such as the DepEd Philippines on Facebook, DepEd TV, and the DepEd Learning Management System.