Guidelines for the Remainder of School Year 2019-2020 in Light of COVID-19 Measures

The Department of Education (DepEd) adopted Social Distancing Measures for the Remainder of the School Year (Enclosure 1) in light of the latest developments and information on COVID-19, as well as its assessment of the remaining school requirements for School Year 2019-2020.

School Year (SY) 2019-2020 is already about to end. DepEd Order No. 7, s. 2019 titled School Calendar for School Year 2019-2020 prescribed the 4th Quarter Examinations for the graduating levels of Grades 6 and 12 on March 12-13, 2020. On the other hand, the 4th Quarter Examinations for all other grade levels are scheduled on March 19-20, 2020. Thus, the essential competencies specified in the curriculum are expected to have already been covered.

On the public health side, new confirmations indicate local transmission and possible community transmission of COVID-19. The government, through the Inter Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) and the Office of the President (OP), has imposed stringent social distancing measures and other guidelines for the management of the COVID-19 situation.

Given the above considerations, DepEd adopts the following guidelines for the completion of the remainder of SY 2019-2020, confirming and giving further details to earlier directives indicated in Enclosure 1:

• The week of March 16 to 20 is designated as the examination week in all DepEd schools for any remaining 4th Quarter Examinations. Schools should schedule these on staggered basis during the said week, in order to maximize and abide by social distancing protocols of the Department of Health (DOH). Students shall only come to school scheduled on stagger on the day of their respective examination schedules.
  
• In areas where classes have been suspended by the relevant national or local authorities for the week of March 16 to 20 and thus preventing the holding of the scheduled 4th Quarter Examination, such as in NCR and in areas where local government units have suspended classes, the 4th Quarter Examination will no longer be administered. The affected schools shall apply the grading formula in paragraph 5 hereof, for the computation of the final grades for the 4th quarter.
  
• Further academic requirements, if any, shall be done as home-based assignments.
  
• During the period of class suspension in NCR and other areas, teachers are not required to report to school, unless called to report by the Schools Division Superintendent on learner-related matters, if the same cannot be done at home or online. The teachers, however, are expected to finish the tasks required of them.

For the schools, or classes within schools, prevented from administering the 4th Quarter Examination, as described in paragraph 4 (b) above, the following grading and transmutation formula shall be adopted for the evaluation of the final grades of the affected learners:

• DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015 titled Policy Guidelines on Classroom Assessment for the K to 12 Basic Education Program shall still be the basis in computing the Fourth Quarter grade of the learners, except that it will be based on class standing (CS) composed of written works and performance tasks.
  
• For all learning areas from Grades 1 to 10 and non-core subjects in the Technical-Vocational-Livelihood/Sports/Arts and Design track in the Senior High School (SHS), CS totals 80% in the original formula. Upon computing the weighted score in each component, the CS grade will be transmuted using Table 1 in Enclosure No. 2 to get the Fourth Quarter Grade.
  
• For all core subjects in the SHS as well as Work Immersion/Research/Business Enterprise/Simulation/Exhibit/Performance in the Academic Track, CS totals 75% in original formula. Upon computing the weighted score in each component, the CS grade will be transmuted using Table 2 in Enclosure No. 2 to get the Fourth Quarter Grade.
  
• For all other subjects in the Academic Track of SHS, CS totals 70% in original formula. Upon computing the weighted score in each component, the CS grade will be transmuted using Table 3 in Enclosure No. 2 to get the Fourth Quarter Grade.
  
• A sample computation of Fourth Quarter Grade is provided in Enclosure No. 3.

Consistent with paragraph 2 of DepEd Order No. 2, s. 2020 titled Multi-Year Implementing Guidelines on the Conduct of the K to 12 Basic Education Program End-Of-School-Year Rites, the week of April 13 to 17, 2020 shall be the period when schools may hold their moving up/graduation/recognition rites, subject to the following guidelines:

• The rites shall be conducted pursuant to applicable social distancing measures in the locality directed by DepEd, OP, IATF, DOH and other relevant national and local authorities.
  
• The schools, in consultation with the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) leadership, may choose to reschedule or forego the holding of the rites, should the public health situation prevent the holding of the rites within the said period.

Teachers with available resources and access to the internet are highly encouraged to explore the Online Alternative Learning Delivery Platforms identified by the DepEd Information and Communications Technology Service (ICTS) that may be used for delivering distance learning during periods of class suspensions and similar circumstances. The guides for the use of these platforms are provided by the Office of the Undersecretary for Administration and ICTS.

Private schools in the basic education level are highly encouraged to adopt the above guidelines for the remaining period of the school year.

For more information on the grading and transmutation formula, please contact the Bureau of Curriculum Development–Curriculum Standards Development Division (BCD–CSDD), 3rd Floor Bonifacio Building, Department of Education Central Office, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City at telephone numbers (02) 8632-7746 and (02) 8635-9822 or email address [email protected].

For more information on the Online Alternative Learning Delivery Platforms, please contact the Information and Communications Technology Service–Education Technology Unit (ICTS–ETU), 5th Floor Bonifacio Building, Department of Education Central Office, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City at email address [email protected].

Immediate dissemination of this Memorandum is desired.

LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES
Secretary

Enclosure 1: DepEd Adopts Social Distancing Measures for Remainder of School Year

Enclosure 2: Transmutation Table (see below)

DM_s2020_042-1 by DepEd Tambayan on Scribd