Home⇛Universal Journal of Educational Research⇛vol. 4 no. 2 (2025)

Teachers’ Lived Experiences and Challenges in Implementing DepEd’s Voluntary National Learning Camp

Harilio L. Torino, Jr.

 

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted education systems worldwide, resulting in widespread learning loss, particularly among disadvantaged learners (Ehsan, 2024). Every country experienced varying degrees of learning loss and implemented intervention programs to address these gaps. In the 2022 PISA results, the Philippines ranked 76th in Mathematics, 79th in Science, 76th in Reading, and 77th out of 81 countries. This study employed a qualitative-phenomenological research design, which allowed for an in-depth exploration of participants' lived experiences. The researcher employed qualitative methodologies, specifically in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group discussions (FGD), to comprehensively understand the teachers' lived experiences and challenges encountered throughout the program's implementation. The analysis shows that the primary challenges faced by educators in the voluntary National Learning Camp revolve around issues of student motivation and attendance, teacher workload and lack of specialization, inadequate and uncontextualized learning materials, insufficient program duration, lack of parental support, engagement and relevance of activities, and the misalignment between the program's objectives and the actual needs of the students. Teachers should provide accurate and honest assessments of learners' academic performance to enable parents to make informed decisions about their child's participation in remediation programs.



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