Youth leaders and students took to social media to air their disapproval against the Commission on Higher Education's (CHED) new policy to implement flexible learning in the coming school years.

In a series of tweets, Kabataan Party-list Representative Sarah Elago said the current learning setup has taken a toll on students and teachers' health and well-being.

Elago said CHED must support calls for education relief measures such as internet and communication subsidies and provide a clear guidance for educational institutions' planning, preparation, and financing for the safe and gradual reopening of schools.

"More than classrooms, it's a matter of conducive learning spaces. Not everyone shares the same healthy environment for learning continuity. There's not flexible learning without clear options for all and basic support for the marginalized," Elago wrote.

Kabataan Party-list National Spokesperson Raoul Manuel said CHED and the Duterte admin are the "barriers to #LigtasNaBalikEswkela."

"Wala pala talagang plano ang Duterte admin na makabalik sa kampus ang mga estudyante (The Duterte admin really has no plan to let students return to schools)," Manuel said.

Rise for Education (R4E) University of the Philippines Los Baños Convenor Gean Celestial lamented that "remote learning is not for everyone."

"It is not, and should never be the new normal. It is not for students without adequate resources, with poor connection, and with laboratory field courses. There are students being left behind in this kind of setup," Celestial said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, several netizens also expressed their opposition to the new policy.

"The 'new normal education system must stop. We don't deserve this kind of set up again for the coming school year. Education is now for the privileged. Education is getting more inaccessible," one netizen tweeted.

"Online classes robbed too much energy. Physically and mentally draining, pursuing a course in flexible learning throughout is something we should not normalize," another one wrote.

The hashtag #NoStudentLeftBehind was also among the top trends on Twitter Sunday night.

In a webinar of May 21, De Vera said CHED has adopted a new policy that flexible learning will "continue in school year 2021 and thereafter."

"There is no going back to the traditional, full-packed face-to-face classrooms. If we go back to the traditional face-to-face classroom, we run the risk of exposing our stakeholders to the same risks if another pandemic comes in," he explained.

READ MORE: ‘There is no going back’: CHED says flexible learning is here to stay