While it fully supports the resumption of full face-to-face classes to curb learning poverty among Filipino learners, an advocacy group on Thursday, Nov. 3, called for the implementation of remedial programs and proper safety protocols in schools.
“While we need to bring back the students in school, we must also keep the learners safe,” said Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) Executive Director Justine Raagas.
“The government must ramp up their efforts to ensure that health protocols are set and complied with,” she added.
After two years under distance learning, Philippine schools returned to full face-to-face learning on Nov. 2.
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Public schools were mandated to implement five days of in-person classes while private schools were allowed to continue with blended or distance learning.
The advocacy group expressed its support for the resumption of full face-to-face classes to “quell the impact of the learning crisis” in the country.
“The pandemic has taken its toll on the education sector and the full reopening of classes will give it the much-needed boost after two years of lockdowns,” Raagas said.
However, Raagas pointed out that the return of in-person classes “must be coupled with appropriate programs” that will enable students to catch up on basic reading and math skills.
“Both private and public sectors must work together to bridge the gaps and act quickly to recover the learning losses aggravated by the pandemic,” she added.
Citing international reports, PBEd noted that Filipino students are lagging in global learning assessments.
A report by the World Bank, for instance, showed that the Philippines has the highest level of learning poverty in East Asia and the Pacific.
In 2022, the learning poverty of the Philippines jumped 91 percent from 70 percent in 2019 which means that nine out of 10 Filipino children aged 10 are still struggling to read simple texts.
Earlier, Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Duterte noted that the department is aware of the schools' poor performance in the international assessments.
This, she added, is among the reasons why DepED has pushed for the resumption of in-person classes to address learning gaps among Filipino learners.
While PBEd supported this move, the group also emphasized that the “government must ensure proper safety measures are in place with the implementation of the full face-to-face classes.”
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