Republic of the Philippines

Region III
DON HONORIO VENTURA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bacolor, Pampanga
A.Y. 2021-2022

GRADUATE SCHOOL
CURRENT ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN EDUCATION
Essay

Name: Ana Marie S. Valencia Professor: Sir Ian Ocampo Flora

Section: MAED EM-1D

“What is the greatest responsibility that teachers are facing during this pandemic?”
Due to the unexpected blow of COVID-19 educational system was suddenly transitioned
from the traditional face to face classroom learning modality to online and modular teaching-
learning approach. The global crisis has also provided an exceptional opportunity to put
educational systems, policymakers, teachers, students, and families to the test. Teachers' roles are
changing and evolving over time, from being the sage on stage to a guide on the side and now a
coach. Teachers' roles are developing fast, and they are becoming more difficult in many ways
than when teaching was done in person in the four corners of the room. It was identified that
there are two crucial factors that was altered in the roles and responsibilities of a teacher during
this pandemic.
First, Teacher as the pedagogical adapter. The changes in pedagogical approach have
shown to be critical, as typical teacher lecturing techniques do not transition to a remote learning
setting. Most teachers are still concerned how they will conduct their online lessons, how they
will introduce, execute, and use e-learning and modular to their advantage in the midst of the
pandemic. Some researches proven that most of the teachers are not finding online learning
beneficial and effective as learning modality. They believed that the online learning approach
was less productive due to a lack of communication and engagement between teachers and
students. Some pupils lacked technical infrastructure, there were no internet connections, there
were less motivated, and there was less parental support. Meanwhile, other teachers struggled
with utilizing ICT, creating engaging content, teaching the curriculum, evaluating, and providing
feedback. These issues lead teachers to believe that teaching online is neither more pleasant nor
more convenient for education. As teachers became the writers and producers of the textual
modules, so-called flexible learning was also experimented with. Video courses and other
reading materials were developed to address a paucity of learning resources as well as a lack of
an internet connection. There are concerns with module distribution, incorrect modules, student
disinterest, and obstinate parents in roles of support for their child's study. The teacher has been

1
quite busy with rapid pace training and webinars on how they will deliver the abrupt shift in
teaching methodology. DepEd Teaches is a program created by the Department of Education that
will provide technical help as we adjust to the new normal in basic education. It is a Curriculum
and Instruction strand contribution to assist the Department of Education's efforts in connecting
with our many stakeholders. With the assistance of the Department of Information and
Communications Technology and the National Telecommunications Commission, DepEd was
able to increase the number of learners who may use the platform at the same time. Another
program is the DepEd Commons, which is a public and private school online learning portal. In
response to multiple reports of errors discovered in various learning resources, the DepEd issued
Department Memorandum 00-1020-0138, which intends to gather and consolidate errors
discovered in self-learning modules, other printed materials, DepEd TV, DepEd TV YouTube
Channel, and the DepEd Commons. The mistakes were reported to the proper agencies for
verification and rectification.
Second, teacher as time manager and multitasker. The pandemic has shifted how teachers
allocate their time between teaching, interacting with students, and administrative duties.
Despite the significant shift from face-to-face to blended learning, teachers are doing their best to
adapt to this type of learning modality; not to mention the struggles with blended learning
logistics, such as printing thousands of modules each week and communicating with parents
more frequently as the learning coach. Every day, reports pile up; numerous seminars and
trainings are only a few of the things that they must attend to. Despite this, the ostensible
vacation is nonetheless dominated by never-ending paperwork and reports. Teachers do not
prefer to teach remotely because they were apprehensive, weary, and unhappy or unsatisfied.
Teachers' workloads have increased as a consequence of the time necessary to acquaint oneself
with the new learning modalities, leaving them with less time to prepare for their lessons and
jeopardizing the quality of education.
Teachers should be provided relevant and practical training whether or not a pandemic
occurs. Due to the fear of a hiatus in our country's educational system the DepEd had no choice
but to launch into a rapid and crash course of educating teachers to the abrupt shift in teaching-
learning mode, and adjust to the new normal as a result, everything became an experiment rather
than a preparation. Teachers have to do all of the essential tasks while also learning new skills.
E-learning and online learning are not new to us. It should be a prerequisite that "to be a teacher,
you must be a life-long learner." If only teachers were informed and trained of the most recent
developments in teaching and learning methodologies, they would not be burdened with the
weight of their own time. As we all know, nothing is permanent in our world but change, and the
educational system and learning modalities are no exception. Teachers should be well-equipped
with all of the options so that learners have a wide range of learning opportunities.
Teachers are also humans. I feel that as a person, they should be given just the
manageable number of reports and paper work, and they should only focus on how they can
deliver their lesson effectively and efficiently. Working from home, lack of physical interaction
with other family members, friends, and coworkers, and home-based teaching are all aspects of
the new normal that can have an influence on a person's mental and emotional health. Their
mental and physical health had deteriorated as a result of their overburdened schedule. They also

2
desired to spend time with their family and friends, as well as having time for themselves. The
day they don't have to worry about their looming deadlines or the printing of modules is the
happiest day of their lives. DepEd should also take consideration of giving teachers a break and
vacation. I know firsthand that educators are among the most overworked and underpaid people
in the world, yet this fact should not prevent them from making time for their families and
maintain their sanity. As cliché as it may sound but “Health is wealth”. The most productive
person is one who is happy and satisfied with his job, not one who despises it.

REFERENCES:
https://blogs.worldbank.org/education/changing-role-teachers-and-technologies-amidst-covid-
19-pandemic-key-findings-cross
Rahayu, R. P., & Wirza, Y. (2020). Teachers’ perception of online learning during pandemic
covid-19. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan, 20(3), 392-406.
Chan, J. R., Marasigan, A. C., & Santander, N. T. (2021). Multigrade teachers’ experiences and
learning assessments on modular remote teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. International
Journal of Research, 10(6), 95-107.
https://www.deped.gov.ph/2020/12/23/deped-teaches-integrates-technical-assistance-in-
improving-delivery-of-basic-education-services/
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1126058#:~:text=To%20assist%20more%20learners
%20and,both%20public%20and%20private%20schools.&text=Learners%20and%20teachers
%20can%20also,Smart%2C%20Sun%2C%20and%20TNT.
https://opinion.inquirer.net/143195/teachers-are-not-exempt-from-stress-and-exhaustion-we-
need-to-rest-too