Some students give up on online classes due to lack of gadget, connection woes

Some students have opted to give up on online classes due to lack of gadget  and internet connection.

According to a report on “24 Oras,” this included Grade 9 student Berna (not her real name) who has been attending her online class in a small space in the house of her uncle.

Berna said her little classroom was noisy, hot and lacked space.

“Hindi mo po maintindihan ‘yung teacher mo, ‘yung paputol-putol ‘yung salita niya. Tapos magugulo pa po ‘yung ano, nasa bahay, ang iingay,” Berna said.

(I can’t understand my teacher. Sometimes they are breaking off, and the people at home are rowdy and noisy.)

Meanwhile, Berna’s mother said it would be possible for Berna to study at home if not for the lack of internet connection.

Berna said she will enroll again when face-to-face classes are allowed anew.

The Department of Education said that face-to-face classes are better, and that their return will be part of their recommendation for selected areas.

“Ang preference namin may limited face-to-face sa mga lugar na papayagan na o ‘yung hindi naman masyado malaki ang COVID-19,” Education undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said.

(We prefer limited face-to-face in areas where we will be allowed to hold them and on those that do not have big number of COVID-19 cases.)

“Pero kung hindi pa rin ay ang io-offer po natin ay distance learning na obviously ay papaigtingin naman po,”  he added.

(But if it won’t be approved, then we will offer distance learning, which we will improve.)—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News