MANILA — The Department of Education said Monday it would conduct a dry run on the implementation of distance learning on Aug. 10 as schools prepare to shift to new modes of teaching due to the prevailing coronavirus pandemic.

Education Undersecretary Jesus Mateo said the dry run aims to show how distance learning would work in an urban, rural, and island setting, among others.

"Ang ipapakita natin dito ay kung ano-ano 'yong iba-ibang mga modality," he said in a phone interview.

(What we will show here is the different modalities.)

A "rural, mountainous school" from the Davao Region and an "island school" in Caraga, for instance, will demonstrate how they will deliver lessons to their students at home, Mateo said.

The dry run will also feature a school with a multigrade setting, a school for indigenous people, and a special education school, according to the undersecretary.

The DepEd has given regional and school division offices, and schools a wide latitude to implement a distance learning modality that best suits the needs of their students.

Mateo said the dry run would also allow DepEd's field units and schools to see if the implementation of their distance learning plans still needed improvements.

"Kaya nagda-dry run tayo para kung saka-sakali na mayroon pang kailangan i-fine-tune, ifa-fine-tune natin," he said.

(The reason why we're holding a dry run is to fine-tune what needs to be fine-tuned.)

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The dry run will be streamed on the DepEd's social media page, and shown on PTV-4 and IBC-13, said Mateo.

Under the DepEd's distance learning plan, lessons will be delivered to students via printed and digital modules, online classes, television, and radio.

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Classes in public schools are scheduled to start on Aug. 24.

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