THE IMPLEMENTATION OF BASIC EDUCATION LEARNING CONTINUITY PLAN (BE-LCP) OF GAMU DISTRICT: ITS OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND EFFECT ON SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted education in the Philippines, prompting the Department of Education (DepEd) to implement the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) to ensure uninterrupted learning. This study examines the assessment of elementary and secondary school heads and teachers in the Gamu District regarding the implementation of the BE-LCP, focusing on the opportunities, challenges, and its impact on school performance. Key areas of the BE-LCP include curriculum support, modular distance learning, health protocols, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement. The study revealed that while BE-LCP provided significant opportunities, particularly in delivering flexible learning options and enhancing stakeholder collaboration, it also posed challenges. These include difficulty in independent learning for some students, the production of learning materials, and limited student-teacher interaction, which affected learning outcomes. Furthermore, elementary and secondary teachers had differing perceptions of BE-LCP's implementation, with elementary teachers viewing governance and operations as more challenging, while secondary teachers perceived more challenges in modular learning and health protocols. Despite these challenges, both school levels showed improvement in enrolment and dropout rates. However, completion rates in elementary schools saw a decline. The findings suggest that while the BE-LCP contributed to maintaining education access, further adjustments are needed to address ongoing challenges and improve learning outcomes, especially in elementary schools. The study recommends sustained implementation, teacher reskilling, and continuous monitoring to ensure quality education in future crises.