Salceda proposes study on possibility of normal classes in COVID-free areas

Albay Representative Joey Salceda on Sunday proposed to study the possibility of conducting face-to-face classes in areas with zero cases of COVID-19.

"Tignan natin yung mga lugar na walang kaso at ipatupad na lang natin ang isang sistema na kung sakaling may mangyari, ay handa kaagad ang ating public health system para mag-respond o tumugon," Salceda said in a Dobol B sa News TV interview.

"Halimbawa may mga isla na wala talagang kaso, pwedeng pag-aralan kung pwede ang tradisyunal," he added.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones earlier this month reiterated that no face-to-face classes will be conducted until a vaccine against COVID-19 is made available, in compliance to the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte.

But Salceda pointed out that with the plan to conduct classes through mostly electronic means, students belonging to poor families will be at the losing end.

He said that in the Bicol region, for instance, only 7% of all households have Internet connection.

Likewise,  Salceda said that for every year that a student postpones his or her studies, the economic cost on the Philippines is between P94 to P136 billion.

"Kaya nga diyan pumapasok talaga na walang one-size-fits-all, kailangan talaga aralin na maigi tutal meron pa tayong up to August 24. By this time talaga naaral mo na," he said.

"Kailangan nating harapin kung paano ma-minimize natin yung cost to society as well as yung cost sa individual na mga tao na mawawalan ng pagkakataon upang sila ay makapag-aral aside from the fact na siyempre you advance knowledge through education," he added.

Former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez also pleaded to the government to consider conducting face-to-face classes in areas with low-risk of COVID-19 infection or those with limited digital capacity.

Briones, nevertheless, said that the Department of Education has been preparing for the implementation of blended learning as the department maintained its commitment “to make education available and thriving, even in the most difficult time.”

“Radio, television, online and modular learning – which are pre-existing methods and were already used for decades – are being prepared and updated for this year. At the same time, teachers are being trained on utilizing newer platforms, and innovative tools to aid their professional development,” Briones said.

“We are working with the private sector and education experts to make these necessary steps logistically sound, especially on the development, acquisition, and deployment of learning resources," she added.  —LBG, GMA News