The Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women joined the broadening call of various education stakeholders, such as teachers, students, parents, and others for a safe school reopening of classes on Sept. 13.
Amihan demanded for gradual face-to-face classes and reiterated that distance learning was "discriminatory, incompatible, and has put the parents and peasant youth students into disadvantaged positions."
"This opening of classes, peasant women mothers will face again the problem on their struggles and hardship for their children's distance learning. This exacerbated their already sorry state of surviving the impact of Duterte's lockdown that led to the losses of their livelihood, bankruptcy, and distraught," Amihan Secretary General Cathy Estavillo said.
Estavillo said that this school year, peasant families who intend to continue the education of their children are left with the option of modular learning.
"Mothers who usually have low educational attainment lacks confidence in tutoring their children, more so in familiarizing themselves with the lessons issued by the Department of Education. They are also engrossed in farm production, trying to earn an income to put food on the table for their children," she stressed.
Amihan calls for a "Dapat LAPAT" solution to the pandemic: Libreng testing at pagpapagamot (free testing and treatment); Palawakin at pabilisin ang pagbabakuna (Expand and peed up vaccination); Ayuda sa pag-quarantine at para sa lahat (Aid to those undergoing quarantine); and Taasan ang kapasidad ng sistemang pangkalusugan (Increase the capacity of healthcare system.
The group is also pushing for the P15,000 production subsidy for agriculture-based sectors and P10,000 social amelioration for urban-based workers.