Malacañang said Tuesday President Rodrigo Duterte approved a test run of face-to-face classes next month despite the threat of COVID-19 because the current blended learning, which started in October after several postponement of school opening, "is far from ideal."
The dry run, planned for January 11 to 23 next year, will be held in areas with low COVID-19 tallies, and should have the consent of students' parents and the local governments, said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.
He told reporters: "What is the primary consideration? We know that the ongoing blended learning is far from ideal.”
Blended learning makes use of online classes, learning modules, and television and radio broadcast. Slow internet and distracting learning environments have plagued the set-up, apart from what some observers said were grammar lapses in the modules.
Roque added: “Face-to-face is still ideal.
We're trying to see if we can live with the virus. And we will know if it can be done especially in areas that no longer have COVID.”
In related developments:
• The Department of Education in a statement welcomed the approval of President Duterte and the Cabinet of the conduct of pilot face-to-face classes in very select schools within areas with low COVID-19 risk for the whole month of January 2021.
It said the pilot would provide important experience and learning that would inform the final recommendation that DepEd intends to make on any broader resumption of face-to-face classes.
• The Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations on Tuesday said schools were not prepared to conduct face-to-face classes this school year.
Interviewed on GMA News TV’s Balitanghali, COCOPEA managing director Joseph Noel Estrada said that the Department of Education had yet to consult their sector on the return of face-to-face classes in some areas this school year.
For Estrada, discussions about conducting face-to-face classes this school year should have started prior to the opening of classes so schools could plan their investments and resources for these.
With the assumption that face-to-face classes will not be allowed for this school year, Estrada said that many schools already exhausted all their resources for distance learning.
• Several lawmakers are in favor of the gradual reopening of campuses for face-to-face classes, but with conditions.
ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo wants the reopening to start at the college level. Iligan City Rep. Frederick Siao suggests opening the campuses as venues for licensure examinations.
BHW Party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co said it would be safest if students and teachers returning to campuses were vaccinated first.
• Sen. Imee Marcos thanked President Duterte for allowing face-to-face classes in low risk areas next month.
“Now we look forward not only to a vaccine but the pilot reopening of schools, “ added Marcos as she expressed hope the government would identify before Christmas all areas which could already have face-to-face classes.
• Public health expert Dr. Tony Leachon said schools must first ensure readiness of the approved plan to conduct a face-to-face dry run in low-risk areas of COVID-19 in January.
Leachon supports this move by the government, but said it still needed to ensure the readiness of schools for the safety of teachers and students.
DepEd, which has yet to determine the face-to-face classes in January, has said it would reduce class sizes and implement staggered schedules to ensure that schools observed health standards during the dry run next month.
Participating schools also need to meet health protocols such as proper ventilation, and availability of face masks, face shields, and hand washing facilities, said the agency.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers, meanwhile, urged the government to address the lack of water facilities, clinics and nurses in schools with the plan to hold pilot testing of in-person classes.
“Our teachers and learners cannot be saved by face masks, alcohol and physical distancing alone. We are dealing with active children here. The best protection for them is a safe, preventive and pandemic-responsive learning environment,” said ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio.
In its statement, DepEd emphasized that the pilot study would be highly selective based on stringent conditions:
• The pilot implementation will take place only in areas categorized as low-risk (at least under Modified General Community Quarantine or MGCQ.
• There must be a commitment for shared responsibility of DepEd, the local government unit (LGU), and the parents or guardians.
• Stringent health and safety standards shall be followed at the home, during travel to and from the schools, and within school premises.
The Department would like to emphasize that participation of learners for the pilot study would be voluntary, with the requisite permit issued by the parents. Face-to-face classes will not be conducted for the full week schedule. They will be under staggered or intermittent schedule, and with reduced class size to allow proper physical distancing within the classroom.
Regional Directors have submitted to the Secretary their nominated schools for inclusion in the pilot study.
The limited number of public schools that will participate in the pilot implementation will be determined within the month upon validation and evaluation of their compliance and readiness with respect to the risk classification, documentation of acknowledgment of shared responsibility, students and classroom management plan, and health standard requirements at home, during travel, and in school premises.
Once selected, the participating schools, LGUs, learners, and parents will undergo a thorough process of orientation, mobilization, and readiness confirmation before the actual implementation.
The conduct and monitoring will be closely coordinated by the Department with the COVID-19 National Task Force.
External organizations are also invited to support, give feedback, and help generate resources to ensure the success of the program.
ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo said: "If and when the campuses reopen for face-to-face classes, it is probable the reopening would be gradual starting with the college level and graduate school level.
“Thereafter, the senior high schools, followed by the junior high schools, and lastly, the Kinder to Grade 6."
Tulfo said students and teachers "cannot endure another school year of so-called blended learning, online classes, and modules because the quality of the learning experience is far from the ideal."
When the COVID-19 vaccines become available locally nationwide, "at the very least, the college campuses should start reopening in the second half of 2021, while senior high school classes could resume in campuses under strict quarantine measures in late 2021," she said, referring to the overall national situation.
However, after reviewing the DOH vaccination priority list, Tulfo wanted clarity as regards the timeline.
"When will DOH vaccinate against COVID-19 the 30 million students from Kinder to college?" Tulfo asked on Monday after reviewing the initial DOH vaccination priority list.
“I ask the IATF and Task Force on Vaccination to involve the education sector especially in determining the best ways to systematically vaccinate teachers, students, and their families because they are among the vulnerable sectors of our society.
Iligan City Congressman Frederick Siao has said "board exams can resume safely in MGCQ areas and in more spacious locations so that up to two meters of physical distancing can be followed, along with the use of face masks, face shields, and other precautions.
“Campuses of the state universities and colleges would be suited for having safe board exams."
Siao, who chairs the House Committee on Professional Regulation, pointed out that "one year of suspended board exams is understandable and would have minimal impact on the supply of licensed professionals. However, two years of having no board exams would have an adverse impact on the workforce, companies, and the economy."
"We have manpower shortages and oversupply. The shortages are what I am worried about. All those Build-Build-Build and housing backlogs need engineers, architects, master plumbers, and master electricians. Two years of no board exams for those professions will be felt at workplaces everywhere," Siao stressed.
BHW Party-list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co believes the sooner classroom sessions resume, the better for the students and teachers.
“Although the home is everyone's first school, the bottom line is that inadequate are all efforts to conduct formal schooling through modules, blended learning, online learning, and distance learning via TV and radio. All of those efforts are coping mechanisms,” Co said.
Free COVID-19 vaccination “must include all public school students and teachers, as well as government financial aid student recipients enrolled in private schools,” according to Co.
