Teacher-solon urges DepEd: Assess limited, voluntary in-person classes

ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro on Thursday called on the national government, specifically the Department of Education, to study the possibility of having "limited" and "voluntary" face-to-face classes.

At a virtual press conference, Castro said the Department should already make an assessment in order to determine which schools in various regions are prepared to go back to face-to-face classes.

"Nananawagan kami sa Duterte administration na pagaralan na 'yung limited, gradual, voluntary na face-to-face sa ating mga paaralan," Castro said.

"Nanawagan na [kami] sa Department of Education na magkaroon na ng komprehensibong assessment sa kalagayan ng mga rehiyon, probinsiya at district para makita natin ang kahandaan ng ating paaralan kaugnay ng pagbabalik ng face-to-face [classes]," she added.

She also claimed that a lot of students and teachers have been complaining about the distanced learning scheme, noting that this could no longer be enforced in the next school year.

"Hindi na kakayanin sa susunod na academic year ang ganitong blended learning na hindi naman sinuportahan ng pondo, talaga namang napabayaan," she said.

"Tingnan na rin 'yung possibility ng gradual, limited, voluntary na face-to-face classes para sa susunod sa semestre ng taong 2020 to 2021 dahil sa dami na ng ating estudyante at teachers na nagrereklamo, halos kalahati o more than half ay 'di na talaga nasisiyahan sa blended learning modular at marami ng bata na napipinto na na bumagsak o magdrop," she added.

Castro expects that the DepEd could immediately provide new recommendations on the next learning scheme of students amid the continuous threat of COVID-19 pandemic.

"Sana maging mabilis ang Department of Education ng pagrerekomenda ng bagong paraan noong pagaaral ng ating estudyante at 'yung mga teachers nagsasabi na sila na hindi epektibo 'yung ipinatutupad na blended learning," Castro said.

So far,  the government has only allowed the conduct of limited face-to-face classes for students of medicine and allied health sciences, especially in areas where there is low risk of COVID-19 transmission. —LBG, GMA News