February 13, 2021 – To improve the quality of learning in the distance learning setup, the Department of Education (DepEd) launched ETULay, a free online tutorial platform for learners and parents facilitated by expert educators.

“We have to come up with creative ways in modernizing our education system and it will require the upgrade of learning delivery through the full and creative use of technology in the digital age. This ETULay initiative is one of the many steps being taken by DepEd to ensure that this transformation happens for the benefit of our learners,” Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said.

Spearheaded by the Department’s Information and Communications Technology Service – Educational Technology Unit (ICTS-ETU), ETULay was derived from the wordplay of ETU, and itulay (Filipino for to bridge).

Headed by ICTS-EdTech Unit Head Mark Anthony Sy at the start of 2021, the initiative’s goals are: (1) to empower and give the parents full confidence in assisting their children, (2) help learners to fully understand the lesson, and (3) help teachers in explaining the lesson.

“The lessons are delivered in tutoring format while guiding how to answer exercises and explaining the details of the lesson. Not strict in the structure of classroom format kasi tutoring lang talaga siya. [Ang] concept [na ito ay] ginawa lang online ang pagtututor. We use StreamYard and broadcast it via Facebook and Youtube para mabalikan ulit ng mga late viewers,” ICTS-EdTech Unit Head Sy explained.

ETULay was also designed based on the weekly Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCs) to provide parents and learners an easier way to answer Self-Learning Modules, which were modeled from the PIVOT 4A QuBE program of Region IV-A.

While the said initiative encourages learning of the topic and mastery, it also focused on having remediation programs on Reading and Mathematics. The DepEd program includes sessions on Storytelling, Wellness, Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE), English, Filipino, Mathematics, Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP), and Health for a comprehensive learning experience for all Filipinos.

Catch the livestream of the sessions on the official Facebook pages of DepEd Philippines, DepEd Tayo, and DepEd EdTech Unit. Also, you may view this on DepEd Edtech Unit and DepEd TV’s Youtube channels.