Title Keme Lang

Krystel Caye Corilla

Our country should not appoint blended learning as a permanent educational system for all

universities for the years to come. COVID-19 hits us severely. It brought changes and

adjustments in vital aspects of our daily lives globally; Food security, Global economy,

Education, Tourism, hospitality, sports and leisure, Gender Relation, Domestic Violence/Abuse,

Mental Health, and Environmental air pollution (Onyeaka et al., 2021). The COVID-19 outbreak

has created unusual difficulties and impacted the educational sectors, and we have no idea when

will it end. Because of the increasing cases back then, a worldwide lockdown was implemented

to help avoid the virus's transmission and "flatten the curve" of the pandemic (Onyeaka et al.,

2021). In the context of education, the new normal was taken into account in the formulation and

execution of the "new normal educational policy" to maintain and offer excellent education amid

lockdown and community quarantine (Tria, 2020).

The novel coronavirus, popularly known as COVID-19, first emerged in Wuhan and has since

spread throughout China and the rest of the world. Back then, Wuhan had a surge in the number

of new diseases and fatalities, which raised serious issues with governance and public health.

Municipal and provincial authorities have implemented several required measures, including

travel restrictions within cities, case detection and contact tracing, quarantines, awareness

programs, production of detection kits, etc. (Zhu et al., 2020). Different people are affected by

COVID-19 in various ways. Most infected people will only experience mild to moderate illness

and will recover without needing to be hospitalized. The most prominent symptoms include

fever, coughing, fatigue, and a loss of smell or taste (World Health Organization, 2020). Even

though any individual can become ill or pass away at any age, people who are older and those

with underlying medical illnesses including cancer, diabetes, chronic lung disease, or

cardiovascular disease are more prone to experience serious illness (World Health Organization,

2020a). As a response, safety protocols were implemented around the world to prevent infection;

social distancing, wearing of facemasks and face shields, enhanced health care systems, home

quarantine, and contact tracing (World Health Organization, 2020a). A lot has changed during

the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. According to the World Health Organization (2020b), the

COVID-19 pandemic has caused a shocking loss of life on a global scale and poses an
unprecedented threat to food systems, public health, education, and the workplace. The pandemic

has had a devastating impact on the economy and society. The number of undernourished people,

which is presently projected to be close to 690 million, could increase, and tens of millions of

people risk the possibility of living in extreme poverty (World Health Organization, 2020b). 

Education is one of the sectors that was greatly affected by the pandemic. Due to the COVID-19

pandemic, schools have been forced to close, and distance learning has become the predominant

form of instruction (Agaton & Cueto, 2021). Without in-person interaction with peers or an

instructor, students can study independently through distance learning. Instead, they use the

internet to access their courses, which typically include webinars, videos, online texts, and audio

(Top Hat, 2020). The Learning Continuity Plan (LCP) was introduced at the elementary level by

the Department of Education (DepEd, 2020). While on higher levels, the Commission on Higher

Education (CHED) granted academic independence to Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and

made online learning like blended learning, and other alternative modes of delivery to students,

available (Commission on Higher Education, 2020). 

Although blended learning helped to continue the school years, the government should not make

it a permanent educational system for the years to come in all universities. Having distance

learning as an alternative to continuing our studies has brought challenges and difficulties to the

learners, teachers, as well as parents. There was research conducted to determine these

obstacles.  During the pandemic, Suryaman et al. (2020) investigated how learning took place at

home. Their research revealed that students encountered numerous challenges when learning at

home, including a lack of technological proficiency, expensive Internet costs, and little student

engagement and sociability. It is similar to what Kapasia et al., (2020) have discovered. They

looked into the impact of the lockdown on students' academic performance. The results of their

study showed that the lockdown made notable interferences with the student's ability to learn.

The students mentioned various difficulties they ran into while taking their classes online. These

include social exclusion, depression, poor Internet, and negative home learning environments,

which are made worse when students come from these backgrounds. With the advancement of

technology, educational institutions were able to continue the past school years. However, it

affected the performance and engagement of students in class discussions and activities during

distance learning. 
Poor internet connection is one of the problems students face. Slow Internet connection in the

Philippines has been explained by Natividad (2021), Salac and Kim (2016) and others. They

agree that the Philippines' poor internet connection is due to the country's limited internet

infrastructure, which is a result of outdated regulations and complicated administrative

procedures to develop internet infrastructure. Unreliable internet connection continues to be the

top problem for teachers, students and parents when it comes to distance learning, according to a

recent survey. In a survey by iOptions Ventures Corporation, an independent research firm, more

than half or 67% of parents, 84% of teachers and 71% of students chose "unstable

internet/mobile connection" as one of the difficulties of distance education. (iOptions Ventures

Corporation, 2020, cited in Madarang, 2021). According to the study, 34% of those taking online

courses expressed “general dissatisfaction” with poor internet connectivity. They also show that

many people (13%) do not have money to buy data, which leads them to take online courses

infrequently (Embudo, 2021). In addition, distance learning has distracted students in discussions

due to social networks and games. In the same survey conducted by iOptions Ventures

Corporation, the results showed that 51% of parents, 47% of teachers and 52% of students

struggle with distractions like social media and noise from community/neighbors (iOptions

Ventures Corporation, 2020, as cited in Madarang, 2021). In addition, e-learning has affected the

productivity of learners. Research conducted by Adams and Blair (2019), justified that students

who manage their time well perform better academically and have less worry. However, the

same study also revealed that "many students find it hard to establish a balance between their

studies and their daytoday life" and, even worse, that poor time management was linked to

outcomes like "poor sleep patterns'' and "higher levels of stress". Effective time management can

be particularly challenging in a distance learning setting because students are obligated to

manage themselves without the support of peers and friends who would otherwise help them

maintain concentration in the classroom (Adams & Blair, 2019, as cited in Challenges of

Distance Learning for Students, 2022). Furthermore, several behaviors that are seen as harmful

have been linked to eLearning. Cyberbullying, plagiarism, hacking, and other types of cheating

are among the actions that make up the Dark Web (Flor & GonzalezFlor, 2016). Here in the

Philippines, Crawford et al., (2020) assessed how well state colleges and schools understood

topics like cybersecurity awareness, in particular, of data privacy, social networking, and

cyberbullying. According to Gayeta (2020), colleges of global communication need to have a

solid understanding of cybersecurity, including the risks and difficulties involved, optimal

security procedures, and how to respond appropriately to security breaches. Because these

obstacles to global connectedness don't only happen not just in the workplace but also in the

learning environment. According to ITU News (2020), the COVID19 pandemic crisis is being

exploited by roving hackers and other disruptive individuals to conduct assaults in which

increased cyber crimes like fraud, phishing, and extortion pose threats to individuals online, and

ransomware attacks have harmed the operations of businesses and industries, media networks.

The new blended learning system, which consists of online lectures and modules, is used by both

teachers and students. The new system, however, has prompted multiple reports of cheating

online through a Fb page where people swap notes and exam answers (Bautista, 2021). Some

parents even acknowledged that they complete their children's modules personally. The

Facebook page called, "Online Kopyahan '' consists of 600,000 members before it was reported

to the authorities and left with 571,900 members after (Bautista, 2021). Inquirer.Net (2020)

interviewed Kristhean Navales, a teacher and the head of the Quezon City Public School

Teachers Association. He said it was disappointing that pupils had turned to internet cheating as

a result of their difficulties. Furthermore, he believes that weaknesses in the development of the

distance education system have encouraged cheating. Currently, students see studying as a

burden, so they are looking for ways to make things easier, he added. In addition to learners and

teachers, parents also face difficulties with the new normal education method such as

unsatisfactory academic results, financial difficulties due to having to work to support the family

during incarceration. retention, difficulties in using and accessing technology, personal health

problems, stress, and learning styles. Due to distance learning, parents have to supervise

learning, tutor and teach their children at home. Although the course helps families spend more

time together, the new educational design makes it difficult for children to bond socially. In

addition, the new learning environment adds to the workload of parents who are working hard to

support their families (Agaton, 2021). These challenges are why blended learning should not be a

permanent educational system in the years to come. This method does not guarantee that learners

grasp all the lessons their teachers have taught them. In a UNICEFSWS survey, she pointed out

that despite more time spent tutoring their children, 84% of parents said their children learned

less with distance learning compared to lessons. face-to-face learning (Schools reopening safely

in the Philippines, 2021). Also, not all students have the ability to have a stable internet
connection, which is important to have online classes. For the past two years in Senior High

School, I've observed various difficulties of my peers with the blended learning modality.

Because of the absence of actual or face to face teacher learner interactions, my classmates were

not participative during our synchronous sessions. Their cameras were turned off and if their

names were called, they didn't answer. At the beginning of the semester, almost the whole of the

class joined the online discussions. But after some time, there were only less than ten people who

attended synchronous classes in every subject.

Studies show that blended learning is more convenient than face-to-face classes. This is arguably

the most suitable teaching method for emergencies like the COVID19 outbreak. This delivery

method provides affordable, flexible education that is  available everywhere and delivers a

personalized learning experience that takes into account different learning styles and pace

preferences. students (Dong et al., 2020). However, to ensure that it accompanies families

instead of adding to their hardship, its implementation to replace the current education system

must be well thought out and well organized. Several important factors must be taken into

account, such as the diversity of learners, the circumstances of the parents, including their work

and free time, device availability, fast internet connection and the preparation of teachers and

schools to provide quality education using blended learning. With a reduction in COVID19

cases  in the Philippines from 2022, Education Secretary Leonor Briones has given all Regional

Directors the green light to begin a phase of gradual growth of face-to-face learning for  public

schools and private schools in February. 2, 2022, provided that the President has approved the

proposed implementation (Ministry of Education, 2022). The plan by the Higher Education

Commission, which has allowed select schools to hold a small number of face-to-face meetings

as a first step towards a gradual reopening of schools, is in line with the going back to class. The

limited implementation of face-to-face classes will certainly help  students  engage and

participate  in classroom discussions and activities more often. A recent Pulse Asia survey found

that students are prioritizing face-to-face meetings in the upcoming school year, reflecting recent

statements from Senator Win Gatchalian. The majority of adults in the Philippines (about 94%)

believe that children should be allowed to attend face-to-face lessons (Bordey, 2022). After more

than two years of managing the COVID19 pandemic, this sends a message to  authorities that

face-to-face classes should no longer be delayed. He also pointed out that  prolonged absences

from face-to-face classes will only lead to "deeper economic scars from alarming school
dropouts". ("Press release", 2022).   Due to the COVID19 pandemic, our world has faced many

challenges in various areas of  daily life. These include education, economics, communication or

interaction with others, transportation, even physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health, and

more. The fight against the pandemic has led to the establishment of safety protocols, restrictions

and closure of educational institutions. In the midst of a pandemic, we can continue the past two 

years  of schooling using distance learning. While this paves the way for the continuation of our

education, it presents numerous challenges for teachers, learners and parents. As a college

student, I struggled to cope and adapt to the new normal approach. I feel pressured and it puts me

on an irregular sleep schedule. Due to interleaving, I don't have enough time for myself and my

family due to my needs for different subjects. This is why our government should not make

blended learning a permanent education system for the following school years. Because it can

exacerbate the difficulties we face today. 

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