ABSTRACT
This undertaking aimed to assess the 8-Week Learning Recovery program implementation in the Schools Division of Legazpi City for school year 2022-2023 & 2023-2024. The assessment focused on the extent of implementation of the 8-Week Learning Recovery Program along program planning, program implementation, and roles and responsibilities of the Regional and Division Heads. It also recorded the challenges met by the school heads in implementing the 8-Week Learning Recovery Program. Likewise, the significant changes observed among the learners during the implementation of the 8-Week Learning Recovery Program were determined. Finally, the study developed a learning program to sustain the Learning Recovery Program.
The survey design considered the descriptive developmental research method utilized qualitative and quantitative analysis using survey questionnaires and interviews. The respondents of the study were school heads, English Coordinators, Filipino Coordinators, Mathematics/ Numeracy Coordinators, and stakeholders from mega (Albay Central), large (Taysan, Legazpi Port, and Banquerohan Elementary), medium (Pawa, Imalnod, Dita and Buenavista Elementary) schools.
The significant findings of the study are the following. The extent of implementation of the 8-Week Learning Recovery Program along program planning, program implementation, and roles and responsibilities of the Regional and Division Heads were always observed in Legazpi City Division. Several challenges were observed in implementing the program along program planning, program implementation, and roles and responsibilities of the regional and division heads. Significant changes were observed among the learners during the implementation of the 8-Week Learning Recovery Program. The learning program was developed to sustain the 8-Week learning recovery program.
Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the following recommendations are presented for consideration by the department. The Department of Education may continue the implementation of the learning recovery program. The Department of Education should address the challenges encountered for effective implementation of the program. The learning recovery program with similar features as that of the 8- Week LRC must be sustained and even enriched until all learners become grade-ready in terms of literacy and numeracy. The Department of Education may do continued monitoring and assessment of the learning progress of the pupils to maintain the effectiveness of the learning recovery program. The learning program developed by the researcher may be adopted in other regions, and a similar study can also be done in other regions.
INTRODUCTION
One of the life-threatening events in recent time is the emergence of the deadly corona virus (COVID) 19. It interrupted the daily life of people, industry and academic institution worldwide. A specific example was the suspension of face-to-face classes for about two (2) years following the order of the government. This action was meant to minimize the health hazard and disaster/lethal effect. But the quest for knowledge and access to educational opportunities continue by resorting to distance/blended learning among others. However, there is the issue on appropriateness of teaching-learning modalities for very young to adult learners.
In the Philippines, the critical outcome of Department of Education recovery plan is to ensure that learning gaps are addressed among all learners, particularly those who are the most vulnerable ones and those in situations of disadvantage. Based on the impact of learning gaps and the core underpinning necessary for learners’ optimal growth and success. In line with this, the Department issued a Department Order No. 13, s. 2023 which aims to adopt the national learning recovery program to strengthen the learning recovery and continuity of the program. It also aims to improve numeracy and literacy and to accelerate the achievement of the education targets.
With the mantra, DepEd Cares, Shares and Serves with a SMILE and the institutionalization of the implementation of the R5 Learning Recovery Plan, DepEd Region V issued the Regional Memorandum No. 104 s. of 2022. The said memorandum intends to aggressively address the current learning crisis among the Bicolano learners with emphatic recognition of the need for academic success in school. This will become possible through a positive climate and environment where learners recover from learning loss and continue acquiring quality learning freely and naturally. Corollary with this initiative is the issuance of specific policy guidelines on the implementation of the 8-Week Learning Recovery Curriculum which is the subject of this inquiry (Appendix B). Thus, it was implemented with adherence to the principles of rights-based education, early childhood education, child-friendly school system, and the holistic development of learners.
The same source provided the information that only 20 percent of the learners met the expectations referring to learning competencies for English and Filipino. This means one for every five or majority of grade 3 learners lack the ability to read, write, understand, communicate or not ready for the challenges facing them. Admittedly, the management response must be available such as the implementation of 8-week Learning Recovery Program. Very briefly, this is:
A learning remediation and intervention that centers on teaching literacy and numeracy in Grade 1, 2 and 3 learners who are identified to have acquired learning loss because of the implementation of distant learning these past two school years.
The learning recovery program for early grade learners aim to provide access to a comprehensive educational program for all learners in Grades 1-3 who experience learning loss because of Covid-19 pandemic. It will also provide foundational skills to learners in literacy and numeracy in order for them to catch up and be grade-level ready. Likewise, to ensure the holistic development of early grade learners by providing them with opportunities that will enable them to acquire foundational and readiness skills in school (R.M. No. 104 s. 2022).
Moreover, one in four children in the East Asia and Pacific region was failing to master basic literacy and numeracy skills in primary school prior to the pandemic. The situation of learning has worsened for millions of children whose education has been interrupted by school closures due to the pandemic (Benavides, 2020). An estimated 10.5 million students in the region at risk of not returning to school disclosed. Hence, the education systems are struggling to help children recover the learning they. have lost during the school closures (UNICEF & SEAMEO, 2020).
In an effort to recover the learning lost among Bicollano learners, the Department of Education Bicol (DepEd 5) crafted a "learning recovery plan" (LRP). In a press conference, DepEd Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad claimed that Bicol was the first region in the country to develop an LRP. It will be implemented during the academic years 2023 to 2025 and would cost about P225 million. LRP aims to address disruptions of knowledge among transitioning students from grades 1 to 3 due to the pandemic over the past years in key learning areas such as literacy and numeracy (Bernadas, 2022).
There was also the information that about 1,819,218 enrolled learners in the region were registered by the department for school year 2021-22. The Chief of Policy Planning Research Division Roy Bañas reported that 547,635 students from all sectors are tentatively expected to complete and graduate in the school year. About 3,194 of 3,840 public schools and 214 out of 588 private schools were able to participate in the progressive expansion of in-person classes according to the Quality Assurance Division Chief Jocelyn Dy.
In support to DepEd Regional Office’s Learning Recovery Plan dubbed as RAISE (Recovering for Academic Achievement by Improving Instruction Through Sustainable Evidence-Based Learning Programs). SDO Legazpi City has initiated its measures to address learning gaps along literacy and numeracy in Grades 1 to 3 through program ASPIRE (Accelerating Structures and Pedagogies to Improve Reading and Numeracy Engagement). The salient move of the Division is also aligned with the framework crafted by the Department to address learning gaps due to the pandemic-related class disruptions (Morcilla, 2022).
The Department of Education, Division of Legazpi City was established on April 5, 1971 by virtue of Republic Act 2234 and its amendment under Republic Act 5525. Before this event, the schools in the city were part of the Department of Education, Division of Albay. The Division shared vision shows that by 2025, SDO Legazpi City is a premier learner-centered division in Bicol, with a strong collaborative culture of excellence among its teachers, instructional leaders, and stakeholders to ensure that learners are equipped with the 21st century skills. Anchored on the Learning Recovery Program and the division’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan’s INSPIRE, the teachers and digitally equipped dynamic and responsive to the children’s learning gaps by making them functionally literate and numerate in accordance with the prevailing standards.
The smart goal aims that by 2025, 100% of learners are grade-ready in terms of literacy and numeracy through the provision of needs-based quality instruction. from well-equipped teachers with the supervision of competent instructional leaders, utilization of contextualized learning resources, development of functional teacher and learner programs, and collaboration of supportive stakeholders.
The City Schools Division of Legazpi is implementing the recovery program in all public elementary schools in seventy (70) barangays. A brief profile shows that it has 42 elementary schools where 38 of under Principal position while only 4 (Mariawa ES, Bagong Abre ES, Mabinit ES and San Joaquin ES) are being managed by the Head Teacher. The Division is composed of 10 districts and 10 Public Schools District Supervisors to provide technical assistance to school heads on matters of instructional supervision. Also, to assists school heads in self-management, school-based decision-making and to utilization and development of sol resources.
The issuance of the national, regional and division learning recovery program acknowledged the importance of monitoring and continues assessment of the programs to ensure its successful implementation. This inquiry is relevant to the Department of Education calls to improve the literacy and numeracy of Grade 3 learners along with the leader of education. Hence, justifies the proposed study under consideration.
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