Ahead of the forthcoming implementation of face-to-face classes, House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Representative France Castro urged the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DOH) to ramp up the Covid-19 vaccine rollout among minors.
Castro underscored the protection that Covid-19 vaccines bring, reiterating that this would be beneficial especially for the scheduled implementation of 100 percent in-person classes beginning November 2022.
“Mukhang kailangan ng DepEd at ng DOH na mag-isip pa ng paraan paano lalong mapapalapit ang bakuna sa mga kabataan sa komunidad. Gawin nating mas accessible ang mga bakuna kaysa nasasayang lang ang mga ito at naeexpire (It seems that the DepEd and the DOH need to think of a way on how to bring the vaccine closer to the youth in the community. Let us make vaccines more accessible rather than just wasting them and expiring),” said Castro in a press statement on Monday, Aug 8.
Data as of March 2022 showed that 2.46 children aged 5-11 and 9.7 million individuals aged 12-17 have been fully vaccinated against the disease.
In relation to this, DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa, in a press briefing on Tuesday, Aug. 2, reiterated that while the department encourages teaching, non-teaching personnel, as well as the students to get vaccinated, the decision remains voluntary.
“We have a non-discriminatory policy at DepEd. Meaning for both teaching, non-teaching personnel, as well as the learners themselves we will not discriminate. Wala pong separate guidelines for those that are vaccinated and those that are unvaccinated. Voluntary pa rin po ang pananaw natin sa vaccination (There will be no separate guidelines for those who are vaccinated and those who are unvaccinated. Our view on vaccination is still voluntary),” said Poa.
Classes for School Year (SY) 2022-2023 will begin on Aug. 22, 2022. DepEd previously stated that blended learning may only be implemented until Oct. 31, 2022 as all public and private schools across the country were mandated to transition to five-day face-to-face classes beginning Nov. 2, 2022.