The distance learning modality does not work for Filipino schoolchildren.
That is why, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian explains, he had been advocating for a return to face-to-face classes and pushed for the allocation of the needed budget in Congress to ensure that its trial run beginning Nov. 15, will be smooth sailing.
Gatchalian chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education.
“The difficulty with distance learning is that our students do not absorb their lessons. They are not learning and we saw that,” Gatchalian told reporters at the sidelines of his visit to Valladolid, Negros Occ. Saturday to attend the first flag-raising ceremony of the Central Philippine State University’s extension campus on a two-hectare property in the municipality, and the blessing of the CPSU training center and staff house.
The state university with its main campus in Kabankakan City and, headed by its president, Dr. Aladino Moraca, is also celebrating its 75th Jubilee.
“Children do not learn through distance learning. Mayroon pang mga issues kung sino ang sumasagot ng mga exam. We often hear cases that the ones answering are the parents or the neighbors. So, hindi
Natututo ang bata,” Gatchalian continued.
The trial run for face-to-face classes kicks off middle of next month, and the senator hopes that once it succeeds, it will pave the way for the full face-to-face classes by January 2022 or even earlier.
The Department of Education, he said, is
targetting 120 schools but only 40 so far have pending applications.
“I’m pushing that the 120 slots will be filled up. Then, hopefully after two months, we can go back to full face-to-face classes,” he added.
HANDWASHING FACILITIES
The pilot testing is also meant to find out where adjustments should be made and where the budget for the trial run should be allocated.
Initially, he disclosed, that a P300 million budget has been set aside for the program, the bulk of which is allocated to ensure that the 120 schools have hand washing facilities.
ALERT LEVEL SYSTEM
Gatchalian also told newsmen he is pushing for the implementation
nationwide of the Alert Level System being iimposed by the National Inter-Agency Task Force in the National Capital Region.
The alert system may also serve as basis in approving the applications of schools for face-to-face classes, he added.
“Metro Manila, for example, is currently under Alert Level System 3 which already alllows minors to go out and go to the malls. Therefore, they should also be allowed to go to school,” he pointed out, adding that he is confident that COVID-19 infections in the NCR will continue to slide down, consequently, improving its ALS status to Alert Level System 2.
HERD IMMUNITY
Asked if face-to-face classes are still possible even if herd immunity has yet to be accomplished, Gatchalian clarified that Metro Manila is already 80 percent fully vaccinated.
He also cited that in Valenzuela, his home city, is already 85 percent fully vaccinated or 15 notches higher than the minimum standard herd immunity classification set at 70 percent.
Local governments like Bacolod, Cebu and Davao are currently 50 percent vaccinated so that before the end of 2021, these LGUs may already reach 80 percent.
DEPED PRIORITY
Focus must be centered on how to keep our schools safe, replied Gatchalian when asked what the top priority of the Department of Education should be in 2022.
The Senate is currently taking up the general appropriations act for next year and Malacanang has proposed more than P773 billion for DepEd, the biggest among government agencies.
The schools should be ready and well-equipped. They should have ample handwashing facilities and must implement basic health protocols like wearing of face masks and face shields when necessary. If schoolchildren do not have these (face masks) we should provide them, including alcohol supply, barriers and other essentials to protect them against COVID-19, he said.
“That’s the priority (for the DepEd budget). These are just basic things,” Gatchalian said.
EASING THE RULES
With the government, through the NIATF, beginning to relax restrictions, the senator said he is not worried about opening up the economy.
“I am more concerned about losing or weakening of our anti-bodies. Many countries that are ahead of us, like the United States and Israel, already allowed the inoculation of booster shots after noting the lowering of anti-bodies,” he said.
In response for a similar eventuality, Gatchalian said Filipino health experts should start looking into the possibility of inoculating booster shots after six to eight months, especially for the frontline health workers.
This is already a point of concern for me because we are already nearing six to eight months since we began our vaccination drive here in the country, he added.*