Though around 59 percent of more than 22 million learners enrolled in public schools are using printed self-learning modules (SLMs) for distance learning, Senator Win Gatchalian said that learning through television-based instruction is a big help in teaching more difficult and complicated subjects.

Senator Win Gatchalian lauded the Senate’s ratification of the bicameral conference committee report on the proposed measure institutionalizing the Alternative Learning System (ALS).

Senator Win Gatchalian is making rounds in Valenzuela to personally inspect the city’s roll-out of distance learning, noting that teachers’ on-ground experiences should serve as bases for determining the success of the implementation of the Education Department’s Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).

As classes for the school year 2020-2021 get underway, Senator Win Gatchalian raises concerns on the safety and welfare of educators nationwide as they distribute self-learning modules.

With barely a few days to go before classes in public schools open, Senator Win Gatchalian pointed out the need to spare teachers from a congested workload to prevent burnout amid the country’s shift to distance learning.

Instead of hiring additional 10,000 teachers next year, Senator Win Gatchalian is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to instead prioritize filling its remaining vacant positions and target displaced private school teachers.

Senator Win Gatchalian has filed Senate Resolution No. 526 seeking a Senate inquiry on the quality of teacher education and training in the country, including the performance of Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs).

While the Department of Education (DepEd) plans to hire “learner support aides” in the roll-out of distance learning, Senator Win Gatchalian said that they should only be deployed in low-risk areas and that rigorous health standards should be observed to prevent an uptick in COVID-19 cases when the country officially opens classes on October 5.

Addressing the concerns of teachers amid uncertainties in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic is the best way to celebrate National Teachers’ Month. For Senator Win Gatchalian, this is the most meaningful way to observe the month-long celebration which culminates on October 5, coinciding with the official school opening.