Senators on Sunday, Sept. 19 have expressed their support to the government’s plan to pilot a limited face-to-face classes saying this will enable the government to gradually reopen physical classes in a controlled environment.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, said he is hoping that President Duterte would finally give the go-signal and allow students to participate in a physical classes, especially in areas that have zero cases or deemed low-risk for COVID-19.
“I have checked statistics and about 100 local government units (LGUs) are COVID free. These LGUs are in islands, in the mountains and or rarely visited by people. I believe we can start the pilot classes here in these places, and if there are no problems, we can gradually reopen classes,” Gatchalian said in an interview over Radio DZBB.
Gatchalian also said it would be best to include schools in the National Task Force against COVID-19’s alert level status.
“Schools should be included in the alert levels. We can’t apply a one-size fits all when it comes to education, that is one of things we learned,” he said.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, last Friday, said the DepEd is already ready to pilot face-to-face classes saying the education sector has already spent a long time thinking, reflecting, and studying the proposal.
“The only thing that we’re waiting for is the go-signal of the President but the DepEd is ready for the pilot,” Briones said.
Senator Imee Marcos said she agrees that calling for another year of distance learning is “unsustainable” and therefore, the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) should pursue its plan to pilot face-to-face classes as soon as possible where infection rates remain low.
“Distance learning is a stop-gap measure, not a long-term solution for education should the pandemic endure. Students are at risk of being part of a whole generation that could lose its love of learning, optimism, ambition, and even productivity. Our mothers and teachers also need to gain back their work-life balance,” said Marcos, who chairs the Senate economic affairs.
“This is the hidden horror of the pandemic - the slow death of the cognitive, mental, emotional and social faculties of young students and of the tolerance and sympathy of bone-tired mothers and teachers finishing home and office tasks late at night,” she lamented.
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, chair of the Senate committee on health and demography, said he also supports the move but urged authorities for proper and careful implementation as students must not be put to risk especially since they are not yet vaccinated.
“Importante po ang edukasyon dahil ito ang tanging puhunan natin sa mundong ito. Kaya hinihikayat ko ang mga bata na patuloy na mag-aral kahit na may krisis tayong hinaharap sa paraang ligtas at hindi mailalagay sa peligro ang buhay nila at ng mga pamilya nila (Educationis important because that is the ultimate investment in this world. That’s why I urge our children to continue studying even though we are in a middle of crisis, in a way that is safe and won’t put to risk their lives and that of their families),” Go said.