DepEd Clarifies: Participation in Learning Camp is Voluntary
The Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines is launching a voluntary National Learning Camp (NLC) program for Grades 7 and 8 students. This initiative is designed to complement the learning efforts from the previous school year and provide a solid foundation for further gains in the upcoming school year.
The NLC program offers three types of camps based on the students’ needs: enhancement, consolidation, and intervention. The enhancement camp is designed to enrich learning for advanced learners, providing a greater depth, breadth, and complexity of learning area competencies. The consolidation camp provides further practice on and application of previously taught competencies, allowing students to identify links connecting concepts and skills across grade-level competencies. The intervention camp supports students who are yet to grasp foundational Mathematics and English skills, providing targeted interventions to bridge any gaps in their understanding.
The NLC program is not mandatory, and students can volunteer to participate. The enhancement camp will run for three weeks, while the intervention and consolidation camps will last for five weeks. Each week will include three days for teacher-student engagement and two days for collaborative sessions among teachers.
The phased implementation of the NLC will begin this school break for Grades 7 and 8 in English, Science, and Mathematics. The program will be expanded to other grade levels and learning areas in the succeeding school years, subject to the issuance of separate guidelines. The NLC will have a maximum of 35 students per class, with school heads having the discretion to devise interventions for the flexibility of organizing classes based on the availability of teachers and classrooms.
The NLC program aligns with DepEd’s two-fold purpose of improving learning performance and strengthening teacher capacity. Teachers will participate in activities that focus on planning and reviewing teaching, sharing effective teaching approaches and strategies, preparing teaching materials, and discussing other teaching-related concerns. The goal is to enhance the teaching and learning process and promote continuous professional development among educators.
Teacher participation in the NLC is voluntary, and school heads are responsible for identifying prospective teachers who will handle the specific camps. Those who participate in the program will receive vacation service credits, a certificate of recognition, and other incentives, subject to the availability of funds. Schools will be provided with sets of teacher-learning materials for the program.
The DepEd clarified that schools are not precluded from conducting other activities during the school break, such as Reading and Mathematics programs for Grades 1 to 3 and other enrichment activities in other grade levels. Remedial classes will continue to be conducted in other grade levels until the phased implementation of the NLC is completed. Like the NLC, remedial classes are also voluntary.
