OPOL,Misamis Oriental--- The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed aside traditional education system by the urgent implementation of an alternative learning scheme via distance learning under Republic Act 7797 .

Seeing the urgency of the situation, the Agricultural Training Institute-Regional Training Center X (ATI-RTC X) have reached out to more schools and in the field of academe to be partners of its advocacy on e-Extension program, especially its e-Learning component.

Recently, the center through its Information Services Section (ISS) conducted an e-Learning briefing and orientation on September 1, 2020 at Opol National Secondary Technical School (ONSTS). It was attended by 10 faculty members from the Agriculture and Fishery Department and some faculty members from Grade 11 and 12.

Ms. Remedios Castillo conveyed her thankfulness to ATI for bringing the program to them, “ The materials will be very useful to the modules they are developing for the upcoming opening of classes”, she said. Ms. Castillo emphasized their problem on the availability of materials without worrying about the copy right infringement that might cause them problem later on.

The e-Extension program through its e-Learning component offers almost 60 online courses that are readily available to every Filipino who wish to learn agriculture and fishery courses, in any place, at their own pace. Aside from the courses, the website has downloadable technokits and techno-videos.

The activity was a commencement of the partnership being forge by the Center with ONSTS through the leadership of Mr. Anthony Y. Pacamalan, Principal II of the school. “Let’s be normal this new normal”, said Mr. Pacamalan as he welcomed the participants and the e-Extension program while expressing his excitement of its full implementation in the school.

The one-day activity was also graced by Ms. Maria Lydia A. Echavez, OIC-Center Director of ATI-RTC X, and Ms. Noemi Beth G. Macario, OIC-Assistant Center Director who have also served as the Resource Speaker for the briefing.

The e-Extension Program has three components, the e-Farming, e-Trading and the e-Learning program. The e-Learning program can be accessed at WWW.E-EXTENSION.GOV.PH/ELEARNING.