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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nPresident Rodrigo Duterte approved plans for a face-to-face pilot run involving 100 schools in low-risk areas, following reports that the Philippines remains to be the only country without physical classes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKailangan papasa sa safety assessment ng Department of Education ang lugar kung saan maghohold tayo ng face-to-face classes. Kailangan pumayag ang local government, kailangan may consent ng parents,\u201d said Education Secretary Briones in response to fears that the trial would cause a spike in new cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Class periods will be shortened and only a few students will be present at a time. Consequently, those involved must strictly follow safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Briones said that if the pilot is successful after two months, more low-risk areas will gradually start to return to the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, only about 18.5 million Filipinos \u2014 almost one-quarter of the population\u2014 are now fully vaccinated, far from the 60-70% for herd immunity. Despite this, the government is in a hurry to return to the face-to-face set-up, as a year of distance learning has taken a toll on the entire student population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The United Nations Children\u2019s Fund (UNICEF) has flagged the Philippines for keeping schools closed, lamenting the \u201c18 months of lost learning, deferred potential and uncertain future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe education crisis is still here, and with each passing day that classrooms remain dark, the devastation worsens. This is a crisis we will not allow the world to ignore. Our channels are silent, but our message is loud: Every community, everywhere must reopen schools as soon as possible. Schools must be the last to close and the first to reopen,\u201d said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the Department of Education has the highest allocation in the 2022 budget, critics point out that the transition will require a lot more support. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDapat dagdagan pa ang budget ang sektor ng edukasyon,\u00a0 ayuda, at maging maayos na health facilities at libre, ligtas at abot-kamay na testing at pagbabakuna para maalalayan ang unti-unti at ligtas na pagbubukas ng mga kampus,\u201d said the\u00a0 Kabataan Partylist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Featured image courtesy of Philippine Star<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n