UN, UNICEF, WHO back limited opening of face-to-face classes

The United Nations (UN), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the Philippine government’s decision to resume face-to-face classes in areas with minimal COVID-19 infection risk, a decision reached one year and six months since schools were shut sue to COVID-19 pandemic. 

“UN, UNICEF and WHO applaud the government’s approval for a pilot run of limited in-person schooling in low-risk areas. Every child has the right to education and schools are central to children’s development, safety and well-being,” they said.

“As some schools are set to reopen on a small scale, public health, and safety measures, such as masks wearing, hand washing, physical distancing and good ventilation, remain equally important to keep every child and every teacher safe,” they added.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones earlier said that the pilot run of in-person classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic will cover at least 100 schools in areas that will be endorsed by the Education department, the Health department, and the host local government unit.

Likewise, parents and/or guardians of learners should provide written consent before students could physically go to school.

Briones said kindergarten classes will have 12 students while Grade 1 to 3 classes will have 16 students. Technical vocation classes, meanwhile, can have as many as 20 students.

Classes from Kinder to Grade 3, Briones said, will last for three hours at maximum. — Llanesca T. Panti/BM, GMA News