The three-day training-workshop last September 27-30, 2021, at Greenleaf Hotel, General Santos City was a response on the call of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on flexible learning during Covid-19 pandemic. Pursuant to pertinent provision of Republic Act (RA) No. 7722, otherwise known as the ‘Higher Education Act of 1994”, Republic Act (RA) No. 11469, otherwise known as the “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act”, and by virtue of Commission en Banc (CEB) Resolution No. 412-2020, series of 2020, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through CMO #4, series of 2020, adopts the guidelines on the implementation of Flexible Leaning to be implemented by public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
As the SUCs, LUCs, and PHEIs seek to bridge the gap left by the sudden absence of face-to-face classes and the need to continue the delivery of quality education, the commission encouraged the public and private HEIs to develop an alternative system through which it can continue to deliver proper instruction to its students without forsaking their health and safety nor the quality of education in accordance with CMO #4, series of 2020.
The move is consistent with the guidelines of the Inter-agency Task Force (IATF) and the Department of Health (DOH) for the management of emerging infectious disease, as well as with the existing provincial, local and institutional issuances against this disease. As the rest of the country’s schools seek to bridge the gap left by the sudden absence of face-to-face classes and the need to continue the delivery of quality education, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through the Higher Education in the Context of Bangsamoro Organic Law (HECBOL) Project, was created to give technical assistance to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao – Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (BARMM-MBHTE), aimed to assist the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the region to develop their online delivery strategies that would ensure the full engagement of their students in the teaching and learning process (HECBOL, 2021).
The training was designed to equip the MBHTE Technical Officers and HEIs faculty with knowledge and technical know-how on flexible learning. Specifically, the 3-day training-workshop objectives were to:
- Equip the MBHTE Technical Officers and HEIs faculty with the understanding about flexible learning and its importance as defined in CMO No. 4, series of 2020 issued by the Office of the Chairman on September 2, 2020;
- Orient teaching and non-teaching personnel from higher education institutions in the BARMM on developing or adopting alternative delivery strategies in the midst of Covid 19 pandemic;
- Capacitate the participants with tools and knowledge needed to effectively employ online teaching mechanisms for their classes using different principles and techniques in developing their approaches to new modes of learning; and
- Assist the participants in creating their own delivery designs that they will be able to use while face-to-face classes are suspended or that they can incorporate into their regular curricula.
The said training used face-to-face and virtual platform through Zoom with more than 100 participants who are technical officers, HEIs faculty and administrators.
Dr. Josephine R. Migalbin, former USM-CA Dean and now SOXAARRDEC Director, and Dr. Ardniel A. Baladjay, Chairperson of Agricultural Extension Department serve as Resource Persons during training on “Flexible Learning for BARMM-MBHTE (HE) Technical Officers and HEIs Faculty.”
The participants during training on “Flexible Learning” from various HEIs in BARMM and Technical Officers of MBHTE which was held at Greenleaf Hotel and Resort, General Santos City last September 27-30, 2021.
The training-workshop covered the following topics: 1) Introduction to CHED #4, series of 2020: Guidelines on the Implementation of flexible learning, 2) Alternative delivery strategies with subtopics on a) e-learning management, b) Consortium of HEI in the context of flexible learning, and c) Modular and blended learning; 3) online-teaching mechanisms: principles and techniques; and 4) Designing Covidized curriculum.
Dr. Migalbin gave emphasis on consortium of HEIs while Dr. Baladjay highlighted the topic of Covidized curriculum in the new normal. During the workshop, the participants were able to design their policies on the implementation of Covidized curriculum to be supervised and monitored by the MBHTE Technical Work Group. Furthermore, the HEIs administrators and faculty members were able to present their output on Covidized syllabi and modules with emphasis on Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELC) taking into context the minimum requirements set by CHED and PRC for courses with board examinations.
The 3-day training-workshop ended with the presence of MP, MBHTTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal who shared his challenges on sustaining quality education through flexible learning in the region.
Dr. Josephine R. Migalbin, SOXAARDEC Director, receiving her plaque of appreciation from the organizers of the training workshop.
Dr. Ardniel A. Baladjay, Chairperson of the Agricultural Extension of USM-CA, receiving his plaque of appreciation from Hon. MBHTTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal flanked by dignitaries of BARMM-MBHTE (HE).
