Sen. Christopher Lawrence ‘’Bong" Go sought the further postponement of the opening of classes on Aug. 24 to October to give more time for students, teachers, learning institutions, and education authorities to prepare.
(OFFICE OF SEN. BONG GO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“Our children’s safety and well-being are of utmost importance and it is our responsibility to ensure these,” Go, chairman of the Senate health and demography committee, said.
Go proposed to move the opening of classes to October 2020 to give students, teachers, learning institutions, and education authorities more time to prepare given the challenges the country is still facing caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
He said he is appealing to the Executive branch to postpone further the opening of schools for a few more months while there is still no vaccine to fight COVID-19. The regular opening of classes is in June.
‘’Huwag nating isugal ang buhay at kaligtasan ng ating mga kabataan,’’ he said. (Let us not gamble the lives and safety of our young).
“Kung hindi pa handa, huwag nating pilitin. Magiging kawawa ang mga estudyante, kawawa ang mga teachers. Hirap na po ang mga Pilipino, huwag na nating dagdagan pa ng pressure ang mga bata at mga magulang nila,” the senator said in a statement. (Let not hurry if we are not yet prepared. Let us pity our students and teachers. Filipinos are hard pressed. Let us not put pressure on the young and their parents).
“Para rin hindi ma-pressure at madaliin ng DepEd at iba pang ahensya ang mga paghahandang kailangang gawin, bigyan muna natin sila ng dagdag na oras upang plantsahin at ayusin ng mabuti ang lahat ng mga plano sa pag-conduct ng flexible o blended learning,’’ he added. (Let us not put pressure on the Department of Education (DepEd) and other agencies that are preparing for the scheduled opening. Let us give them time to fine-tune their plans in conducting flexible or blended learning).
Go reiterated President Duterte’s position which is ‘’no vaccine, no face-to-face" classes.
The senator from Davao also explained that given the challenges the whole country is currently facing and the adverse economic impact it has caused to various sectors, it would be beneficial to give affected Filipinos more time to adapt to the so-called "new normal".
“Sa konting postponement na ito, mabibigyan ng karagdagang panahon upang mas makapaghanda ang mga students, teachers, learning institutions, education authorities and even the general public (to prepare). This is to better prepare and fine tune the country’s flexible continuity learning plans,” he further explained. (The short rescheduling of the opening of classes would give time for students …. )
“Karamihan sa atin hirap pa mag-transition sa alternative modes tulad ng online transactions at online learning. Ang Internet hindi rin reliable, tapos 'yung offline modes of learning naman pinaghahandaan pa rin,” Go lamented. (Most of us have difficulty in the transition to alternative modes such as online transactions and online learning. The internet is not reliable, yet we are being asked to prepare for offline modes).
During the Aug. 12 joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Basic Education with the Committee on Health and Demography, Go emphasized again the need for education authorities and school officials to explore more learning modes, combining offline and online method. Go said that he hopes all Filipino children will be given equal opportunity to learn wherever they are in the country.
“Kung tayo nga dito sa Senado ay nahihirapan sa transition to online, paano pa kaya sila? Bukod sa mga estudyante, dapat alalayan din natin ang ating mga guro. Dapat may angkop na trainings din para sa kanila,” he said. (We here at the Senate have difficulty in transitioning to online, how much more to them? Aside from the students, we should also be concerned on the needs of teachers who have to be trained too).