The Schools Division of Toledo City, in collaboration with various school heads and department officials, recently concluded their three-day seminar “Division Capability–Building of Education and School Leaders on the Implementation of Alternative Delivery Mode–Education in Emergencies (ADM-EiE)” last January 16 at the Moses Hall in CEBECO III Barangay Luray II.

The seminar spanning from January 14-16 consisted of seven sessions on Alternative Education Programs currently being utilized by the Department of Education (DepEd) and Alternative Education Modes in emergencies introduced in Session 1: Introduction to Alternative Education in Emergencies led by Guidance Counselor II, Loviemer S. Casipong.

“Actually dili pa tanan atong naa sa ADM (Alternative Delivery Modes) ang gi offer [sa Toledo City] pero ni promise na ang uban schools nga mag implement na sila para ma andam sad sila in emergencies. Then, para sa ALS (Alternative Learning System) nga out of school learning dili pariha sa ADM nga in-school kay nag start nata [ug implement],” said Education Program Specialist II for the Alternative Learning System (ALS), Dr. Edward Oman.

(Actually, not all the programs in the ADM (Alternative Delivery Modes) are offered in schools [in Toledo City] but some schools already promised their implementation so they will be ready in case of emergencies. Then, for the ALS (Alternative Learning System) which is the out of school learning as opposed to ADM which is the in-school is already starting [implementation of different programs.])

These include programs such as the Night High Schools, Home Education Program, Quipper School, Multigrade Program in Philippine Education, MISOSA, Building Resources Across Communities, Central Visayan Institute Foundation Dynamic Learning Program, IMPACT, and the Open High School Program–a program already implemented by Luray II National High School. 

The program reached its height during Session 6: Sustaining Education During Recovery Transition to Normalcy which focused on sustaining the Work Action Plan (WAP) in collaboration with the parents, learners, school heads, DepEd authorities, and the local government units (LGUs) during calamities. This collaboration was fittingly called the “support system” by speaker Mrs. Annaliza Sardovia, Project Development Officer II for DRRM. 

The WAP fused with the contingency plan in the context of emergencies outlines the possible strategies the school can take during an emergency to ensure the safety and continued learning of the students through various educational delivery modes.

The “Twinning System” was also discussed. The system calls for collaboration between two or more  schools, allowing them to share resources and sustain learners in the case of emergencies in a school within their system. 

In an interview with The Catalyst, Mrs. Sardovia emphasised her desire for the schools to see the WAP as a continuous item. She stated that the WAP must constantly be modified, changed, and continuously focused on to conduct successful education in emergencies and recovery to normalcy.

After the last session on Monitoring and Evaluation, the program ended with a light song and dance session.

In an interview, Public Schools Division Supervisor Trifon Barcenas called the event a success, “Nindot kaayo ni nga seminar kay daghan na kaayo ug mga patakaran nga maka ensure gyud sa tarong nga pag-eskwela sa bata bahalag naay mga panghitabo nga wala sa akoang time atong school head pako. Maka-lipay gyud siya as papa nga kahibaw ko akoang mga anak safety ra pud tungod aning mga program,” he stated. 

(The seminar was really nice because there are so many rules that ensure the schooling of the students in emergencies despite emergencies that were not there when I was a school head. It makes me really happy, as a father, to know that my children are also safe with these programs)

The ADM-EiE seminar showcased the dedication of DepEd Toledo in ensuring the learning and safety of its students and presents promising developments for the future as a strong year-starter seminar for 2025.