3 House members favor gradual reopening of face-to-face classes

At least three lawmakers from the House of Representatives are in favor of the proposed gradual reopening of face-to-face classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

ACT-CIS party-list Representative Jocelyn Tulfo, Iligan City Representative Frederick Siao, and BHW party-list Representative Angelica Natasha Co expressed support to the proposal, with conditions, after President Rodrigo Duterte approved its dry run in areas with low risk of COVID-19 in January 2021.

The Department of Education, for its part, has already created a list of schools nominated to conduct a dry run for the resumption of face-to-face classes in areas with low risk for COVID-19.

For one, Tulfo said the reopening of classes should start first at the college level.

"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," she said.

Tulfo said the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education should find ways on how to implement a COVID-19 vaccination program that is parallel and coordinated with the Department of Health.

"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 added.

Meanwhile, Siao, who chairs the House Committee on Professional Regulation, suggested to open campuses as venues for licensure examinations.

"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," he said.

"Campuses of the state universities and colleges would be suited for having safe board exams," he added.

Several licensure examinations, including the 2020 Bar Exams, have been suspended this year amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But Siao said the country cannot afford two years of no board exams as this would have "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," he said.

"Two years of no board exams for those professions will be felt at workplaces everywhere," he added.

Meanwhile, Co said it would be better if students and teachers are vaccinated first before they return to campuses for face-to-face classes.

The sooner classroom sessions resume, the better for the students and teachers, she added.

“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.

“Effective adjustment to life under the new normal can be best achieved by having the students and teachers vaccinated, so they can return to their schools for face-to-face classroom sessions,” she added.

The approved dry-run for face-to-face classes would only take place in select areas and that attendance would be voluntary. Parents’ approval is also needed for a student to participate in a class.

Remote classes started on October 5, several weeks later than the initially planned on August 24, to give teachers and students more time to prepare for online and modular distance learning.

Lessons this school year may be given via online classes, or via use of printed modules, or use of TV and radio due to the COVID-19 pandemic.