According to many researches, that the use of online or virtual laboratory has the same or even better effectiveness than traditional laboratory. The use of online or virtual laboratory enhances student’s science process skills, especially in predicting and measuring. This is because online or virtual laboratory is able to provide opportunities and flexibilities for students to conduct experiments by the level of ability and pace of learning each student, anytime and anywhere. Thus, online or virtual laboratory is feasible to be used as an alternative or support method for learning processes.

Signed by Vice President and Education Chief Sara Z. Duterte, DepEd’s order showed that classes for the forthcoming school year will have 203 school days which will formally begin on Aug. 22, 2022 and will end on July 7, 2023. Private schools and state/Iocal universities and colleges (SUCs/LUCs) offering basic education may start classes not earlier than the first Monday of June and not later than the last day of August, as provided for under RA 1 1480. Here, DepEd orders 5 days of in-person classes. However, DepEd also provides for some schools to slowly transition to 5 days in-person classes by having the following options:

• Blended learning modality – 3 days of in-person classes and 2 days of distance learning (modular, online, or television/radio-based instruction); and thereafter, 4 days of in-person classes and 1 day of distance learning (modular, online, or television / radio-based instruction)
• Full Distance Learning – distance learning through modular, online, or television / radio-based instruction.

Then, starting November 2, 2022, all public and private schools should transition to 5 days in-person classes. After the said date, no school shall be allowed to implement purely distance learning or blended learning.

To effectively ensure the start and continuing of in-person classes, DepEd further issues these guidelines:

• No inspections, tools, or any additional requirements to re-open schools and to implement 5 days in-person classes shall be required, except for the compliance with the usual pre-pandemic regulatory permits and licenses, as required by law or ordinances.
• This DepEd Order (DO) shall apply regardless of the COVID-19 alert level that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases or the Department of Health (DOH) may impose in the areas where schools are situated.
• Classes are immediately suspended during observances of regular and special national holidays as stipulated by the law, as well as local holidays which have been duly declared by law or through Presidential Proclamation.
• The number of school days in this DO shall solely be dedicated to academics and related co-curricular activities. The conduct of extra-curricular activities shall be strictly prohibited.
• Virtual activities through different social media platforms which require reactions or sharing may be done for advocacy, awareness, or collaboration purposes, but shall not form part of the learner’s scholastic grade. Curricular and co-curricular activities that involve the in-person gathering of a large number of participants like the National Schools Press Conference, National Science and Technology Fair, National Festival of Talent, and other similar undertakings, may be conducted in hybrid modality subject to the declared alert levels of the country.
• Curricular activities shall be conducted during the academic quarter to ensure that learners can seamlessly connect and integrate learning within and across learning areas while providing manageable breaks consistent with Memorandum OUCI-2O20-3O7 entitled ‘Suggested Measures to Foster Academic Ease during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” On the other hand, co-curricular activities shall be conducted after the quarter examinations to avoid disruption of classes.

Reference:

DepEd Order No. 034, s. 2022