Duterte highlights importance of DepEd’s  NLC program

CEBU, Philippines — Before she is set to vacate her seat as Department of Education (DepEd) secretary on July 19, Vice President Sara Duterte is making a few more rounds around the country to discuss ongoing programs of the department.

This includes the National Learning Camp (NLC) program of DepEd, which Duterte is optimistic will continue to show positive outcomes in improving literacy, numeracy, and other crucial skills among learners.

Duterte, who attended the NLC accomplishment program at San Fernando Central School, Cebu, said that the NLC program is a critical initiative supporting the National Learning Recovery Program, which is part of the department’s commitment in addressing the learning loss that was aggravated by the pandemic.

The outgoing DepEd secretary that this program is part of the response to the low performance of learners in the National Achievement Test (NAT) and International Large-Scale Assessments (ILSAs), such as the Programme for International Student Assessments (PISA), and the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), which underscored a pressing learning crisis that requires immediate action.

She said that as the department embarked on the second year of its implementation, they are building upon last year’s successful launch for Grades 7 and 8 to expand this transformative program to include Grades 1 to 3 and Grades 7 to 10.

Duterte said that last year’s NLC achieved significant success, reaching 938,341 learners in Grades 7 and 8 through intervention, consolidation, and enhancement camps in 34,383 schools nationwide.

“I thank the 62,773 teachers who volunteered for Grades 7 and 8 and the 166,263 teachers involved in other end-of-school-year (EOSY) break activities. Results of assessments show that our combined efforts have made a dent towards the improvement of our learners’ performance in Math, Science, and English,” the vice president said.

Building on these strengths, she said that DepEd opened the 2nd year of NLC on July 1 with 2,183,327 learners in Grades 1 to 3 and Grades 7 to 10, and 185,759 learning camp volunteers (LCVs) nationwide.

Each teacher-volunteer and learner received teaching and learning materials in Reading, English, Mathematics, and Science.

Additionally, DepEd allocated funds for orientations and daily meal expenses for both DepEds and non-DepEd volunteers and have also engaged partners who provide fun and engaging activities to the learners, as well as services such as eye and dental check-ups in select schools, among others.

For this end-of-school-year break, the NLC started last July 1 and will run until July 19, and features three-week intensive instructional activities to bolster the learners’ performance in Reading, English, Mathematics, and Science, alongside collaborative expertise sessions to empower their teachers.

Last year, the NLC spanned five weeks, but this year they have reduced it to three weeks due to the adjusted school calendar of SY 2024 to 2025, as classes resume on July 29, marking the return to the pre-pandemic schedule.

To make this project more successful and to continue making it work, Duterte said that they need to carry on the NLC with the support of the whole community approach that brings together parents, barangay officials, local government units, partners, principals, and other education leaders, and parents is central to the NLC and is essential on how children are educated.

“The huge rise in the learner participation in the 2024 learner camp is a product of your strong commitment to our learning recovery program. I am aware of your hard work. I am sure that your hard work is rewarded when we see our learners improving and succeeding,” says Duterte, recognizing the efforts of the regional directors, superintendents, education supervisors, CLMD and CID chiefs, as well as their testing coordinators, for ensuring that the NLC is run well in their respective areas. – ATO  (CEBU NEWS)