DepEd focus: School children’s mental wellbeing during pandemic

MANILA, Philippines — Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the Department of Education (DepEd) will look into the reported COVID-related suicide of a child learner.

“We have to look into the underlying triggers to find if it is COVID-related,” she said during a Laging Handa press briefing yesterday with Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar and Undersecretary Rocky Ignacio.

She stressed that an analysis of the reported incident should be done by an expert.

DepEd public affairs service director June Arvin Gudoy confirmed that the case referred to an incoming Grade 9 student in Sto. Domingo town in Albay. The 19-year-old Balik Aral student allegedly hanged himself “because he was distressed by the online classes.”

While the DepEd looks into the reported suicide case, Briones pointed out that the agency is also mindful of the emerging challenge of general anxiety and fear of uncertainty of the future in view of life in the new normal that is pervading the entire education sector, which covers learners, parents, teachers and even the department’s bureaucracy.

She said DepEd had started with the provision of psychosocial counseling, which is primarily delivered online or via webinars as a result of the quarantine and social distancing restrictions.

Briones noted that there are many factors that may cause anxiety and worries among individuals.

The education chief admitted that the role of parents in the current system of delivering education is larger because school-age children spend most of their time at home.

Meanwhile, leading information and communications technology giant PLDT, its wireless subsidiary Smart Communications and PLDT Enterprise have teamed up with global tech giants Microsoft and Google to make connectivity and digital solutions more accessible to over a hundred schools, colleges and universities nationwide.

The multi-entity effort includes the provision of discounted PLDT Home Wifi and Smart Bro Pocket Wifi units powered by Smart LTE. To date, Smart provides high-speed mobile internet service to over 93 percent of the country’s cities and municipalities and 95 percent of the population.

“As the academic community gears up for the coming school year amid the new normal, we are one with them in ensuring that Filipino teachers and students are equipped with the best connectivity solutions and global-class e-Learning tools and platforms to aid their online education,” said Alfredo Panlilio, Smart president and chief executive officer and PLDT chief revenue officer.

Under the Study Smart program, Smart and its partner distributors have provided these devices to various academic institutions nationwide, including the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, De La Salle College of Saint Benilde-Antipolo, Pamantasan ng Cabuyao, Colegio de San Juan de Letran-Calamba, Ateneo de Naga University, Baliuag University, Malayan Colleges Laguna, Talisay City College, University of Antique, Iloilo Doctors College, Tagoloan Community College, University of Mindanao Digos and Davao campuses, Lyceum of the Philippines Davao, Philippine Academy of Sakya-Davao, Cagayan de Oro City National High School, Leonard Young Sr. National High School, Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, Notre Dame of Marbel University, Ateneo de Davao University, University of Southern Philippines Foundation and Cebu Technological University.

Smart also recently launched new packages tailor-fit for education, such as GIGA Study, which has generous load allocations and access to academic suites such as Microsoft for Education, Google Classroom, Google Meet and Docs, YouTube and various other learning management systems.

In addition, Smart has also partnered with laptop manufacturers and distributors to make these devices more affordable and accessible. Bundled with Smart Bro Pocket WiFi, these laptops and tablets are also available on installment basis through select distributors.

Smart has also partnered with Edukasyon.PH, an education technology startup that provides a series of programs and software apps to enable Filipino students reach their academic goals.