THE Department of Education (DepEd) said private schools nationwide may continue implementing distance and blended learning beyond November 2.

On October 17, 2022, DepEd issued an amendatory Department Order (DO) to DO 34, s. 2022 allowing private schools to offer blended learning modality and full distance learning options to their students

Earlier, the DepEd mandated all public and private schools to shift to five days of in-person classes beginning Nov. 2.

Under the blended learning scheme, private schools can have three days of in-person classes and two days of distance learning, and thereafter, four days of in-person classes and one day of distance learning, according to the order.

Private schools can also hold five days of in-person classes, the DepEd said.

All public schools, meanwhile, “shall have transitioned to five-day in-person classes” beginning Nov. 2, based on the order.

“After the said date, no public school shall be allowed to implement purely distance learning or blended learning, except for those that are expressly provided an exemption by the Regional Director, those whose classes are automatically canceled due to disaster and calamities, and those implementing Alternative Delivery Modes,” it added.

The DepEd is pushing for the return of the traditional classroom setup to address “learning losses” prompted by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The DepEd maintains its confidence in the benefits of holding in-person classes to promote academic development and learners’ overall mental health and well-being.

Several published studies point to the undisputable fact that in-person classes remain the best option for basic education.

DepEd is cognizant of the current situation of the private sector due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic — the amount of investment in online learning technologies, the development and institutionalization of best practices on blended learning, and the unfortunate closure of small private schools because of losses.

The education department said it will leave the discussion on the learning modality to be implemented by private education institutions to the schools, the parents/guardians, and the learners.

DepEd, however, hopes that parents or guardians of private school learners would not miss the abundance of scientific studies available on the advantages of in-person classes over online learning.