In light of the Coronavirus outbreak, here’s how you can address the temporary suspension of schools posing a concern on the future of education in the country.
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The outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus has affected many different industries, and sectors. To prevent further spread of the virus, world leaders imposed new laws and guidelines. In the country, along with the declaration of community quarantine, the government-mandated all schools across Metro Manila to suspend classes until April 12. Within the period, students are still expected to accomplish their educational requirements, but with a more digital approach. With the existence of the internet, it has become convenient to hold online classes and fulfill school tasks. Yet with the alarming increase of confirmed Coronavirus cases across the globe, parents are most likely wondering how will educational institutions continue to respond to this? How will the youth receive proper education in these challenging times?
With the uncertainty of when educational systems will return to normal, parents may already be thinking of options for their children. After all, they only want to ensure a good future for them. Now more than ever, homeschool has become available, if not the only choice that will ensure proper education and protect students from getting caught in large, crowded places, and possibly catch and carry the infection. For this academic year and the next, having students get homeschooled may sound good, but what exactly are the options families can take moving forward? We have listed down some of these alternatives to classroom-based education.
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Homeschool Systems
Apart from physical schools, homeschool learning centers have become popular for decades now. It is perfect for parents who like to teach their own children, spending more time with them and in some cases, attend to their special needs. In this way, parents can ensure their children are receiving the kind of education they want and at the same time, strengthen the parent-child relationship. Most of these have an open curriculum, which means parents have the freedom to choose the books and materials they will use to teach their kids. These are all tailored around the latter’s interests, skills, and most importantly, their learning pace.
Homeschool Global (HG) is among the top choices for families with more than two children as they charge fees per family. HG has a quarterly portfolio review and an open curriculum. They also have a sports day, talent shows, and moving-up activities, simulating a standard educational institution. The enrollment period is every March, June, and September. They also have hubs in Pasig, Alabang, and Cebu.
Peniel Integrated Christian Academy is well-known in the homeschooling community for having an open curriculum aligned with the Department of Education’s K-12 competencies. However, parents can feel free to add more materials as needed. Some of their activities include Linggo ng Wika, inter-school singing contests, and local and international swimming competitions. The enrollment period is from April to July. Their main hub is in Cainta, Rizal.
Life Academy International (LAI) is an institution known for its mission to develop Christ-like servant-leaders and influencers. They have programs from pre-school until Senior High and hold various activities like clubs, varsity teams, student council, and guidance counseling. The enrollment period starts this year in June and the school year begins in August. The school is located at Frontera Drive, Ortigas.
Private Tutors
Some parents may not have the time or confident capacity to efficiently teach their children. Yet they still want to protect them from exposure to the ongoing virus outbreak. Thus, there is the option to hire private teachers or tutors to hold classes at home or online instead. There are sites like Tutoroo, University Tutor, and Tutorhunt PH where you can browse through a wide list of teachers and tutors that match the schedule and needs of the students. In this way, families can ensure children are still receiving proper education while in the comforts of their home.
Online Courses
A number of schools like the University of the Philippines opened online courses. This helps universities to equip themselves in holding an alternative to classroom-based education. Of course, there are also well-known learning centers like AHEAD Tutorial and Review Center, MSA Academic Advancement Institute, and Kumon. These centers have also taken precautions against COVID-19, temporarily suspending physical classes. Yet some like AHEAD have opened online tutorials and review classes. Another option is signing up at Edukasyon.ph where you can take a variety of online lessons, even K-12 courses. There is simply a wide range of choices online, making it easier to get access to proper education.
