Angara: Education to continue in Cebu quake-hit areas through modular learning

Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Thursday assured parents and teachers that education will continue in areas affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake once immediate emergency measures are addressed.

Angara said the Department of Education (DepEd) will rely primarily on modular learning, the most practical mode for communities with damaged classrooms or limited connectivity. Policies on lesson packets and the dynamic learning program are expected to be finalized next week, with emergency funds for learning materials to be released immediately after.

The DepEd chief, together with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and other national officials, visited Bogo, Cebu on Thursday to provide assistance and assess the impact of the earthquake, which damaged thousands of classrooms and communities in northern Cebu.

The DepEd Learning Systems Strand is coordinating with schools division superintendents for context-specific interventions once emergency needs are addressed.

To minimize lost school days—estimated at about one month in the hardest-hit areas—DepEd will also establish temporary learning spaces in Bogo and nearby Cebu towns, prioritizing early grade learners to resume limited face-to-face classes sooner.

“Bayanihan ang susi. Dapat mabilis ang aksyon ng lahat para mas mabilis din makakabalik ang ating mga guro at mag-aaral sa normal na klase,” Angara said.

DepEd also announced that personnel in affected areas declared under a state of calamity may avail of Special Emergency Leave under Civil Service Commission rules. Unaffected regions are mobilizing resources to extend support, including financial aid, to affected teachers.

As of 11 p.m. on 1 October, DepEd reported that 5,587 classrooms sustained minor damage, 803 suffered major damage, and 1,187 were totally destroyed in Cebu schools, affecting more than 19,000 learners and 950 teaching and non-teaching staff.

Once validated by field offices, a vetted list will be endorsed for joint DepEd–DPWH validation to determine reconstruction costs. The department said rebuilding funds will be released immediately.

Angara also distributed nearly 90 EduKahon teaching and learning recovery kits during the visit.