As the COVID-19 Pandemic runs its course, everything momentarily stood still as governments ponder what measures to undertake so that life can move on amidst the pandemic. As we experience, many governments implemented measures that limit the number of people congregating in public places. Senior citizens, children aged 15 years old and below, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals were deprived of going outside their homes. People living outside the city are prohibited from coming in without the required papers for entry. Such measures have disrupted the normal functioning of society especially the schools and universities.
Education was one sector adversely affected as the class opening was scheduled and rescheduled while working on minimizing the threat of the virus if the traditional face-to-face will still be employed. Limited face-to-face in school ensures social distancing and decreases the volume of people outside their homes at any given time. The President and the Education Secretary seemed to have a face-off on the issue of opening classes yet Academic Year 2020 – 2021 was officially started last 5 October 2020 employing blended learning attuned to the demands of time. Students are taught using various means in this blended learning, including online, television, radio, and self-learning modules. As the President promised the traditional face-to-face will resume only until a vaccine becomes available.
In most places in the Philippines, Online Distance Learning through the use of the SLM is the modality widely used. Teachers were busy making, printing, sorting, packing, distributing, and checking modules. These activities are considered "new normal" to teachers. As the school year is about to end, may these efforts be granted with appreciation and love by our learners.
CoVid19 really brought the big change of the world