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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Added burden': Group slams DepEd for eyeing shorter break for students amid the pandemic

'Added burden': Group slams DepEd for eyeing shorter break for students amid the pandemic

Published Apr 28, 2021 10:05 pm

“Shorter break for students is not a solution, it is an added burden!”

ALI VICOY / MANILA BULLETIN

This is what an alliance of student councils nationwide told the Department of Education (DepEd) on its plan to open the new school year on Aug. 23.

If it pushes through, the group noted that it will shorten the two-month break of students into six weeks.

“Even after countless calls of both students and teachers on numerous problems caused by the pandemic, the government refuses to take a step back and reassess their approach on online and modular learning,” said National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) National President Jandeil Roperos in a statement on Wednesday, April 28.

With Metro Manila and other nearby provinces still under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) and with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases still rising, NUSP said DepEd’s announcement showed clear disregard to the welfare not only of students but their teachers as well.

“From the implementation of distance learning, many cases have been reported from modules not being supplied and delivered to different districts and regions, state propaganda ingrained within activities, as well failure to attend classes due to poor connection and not having enough money to sustain everyday needs,” NUSP said.

Roperos also alleged that the Duterte administration “does not care about the welfare of the students as well as the quality of education they are getting.”

The NUSP noted that “there have been cases of deaths of students from different regions brought about by trying to meet with heavy academic requirements in the middle of a pandemic.”

As distance learning progressed, NUSP said that “teachers were left to fend of for themselves and take matters into their hands to ensure that students will have enough materials to use as well as students being forced to study under the harsh conditions our country is in due to the pandemic that Duterte has yet to focus on.”

Given this, the Union echoes its call to ensure mass testing, contract tracing and to tackle other modes of learning to ensure the safety and welfare of both students and teachers amid a pandemic.

DepEd’s confirmation of a tentative date for the opening of School Year (SY) 2021-2022 has been receiving mixed reactions from stakeholders such as teachers and students.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2021/04/28/depeds-bid-to-open-new-school-year-on-aug-23-draws-mixed-reactions-from-teachers-netizens/

Related Tags

deped education schoolopening sy20212022 nusp students teachers pandemic Covid19
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