Robredo reiterates call for in-person classes in low-risk areas

Vice President Leni Robredo on Saturday reiterated her call for the resumption of face-to-face classes in areas with low COVID-19 community transmission.

“Actually, since June last year pinu-push ko na in areas where the risk is low or in areas where there is no community transmission, dapat talaga mag-face-to-face classes na,” Robredo told reporters on the sidelines of her visit in Murcia, Negros Occidental.

[Since last year, I have been pushing for resumption of face-to-face classes in areas where the risk is low or in areas where there is no community transmission.]

The Department of Education will be implementing the pilot launch of face-to-face classes in basic education beginning November 15, wherein 100 public schools will be participating and 20 more private schools are expected to participate.

According to Robredo, resuming face-to-face classes depends on the situation in an area.

“Kung possible iyong full face-to-face, at wala namang community transmission, 'yun iyong best,” she said.

[If full face-to-face classes are possible in areas with no community transmission, that would be the best scenario.]

“Pero doon sa mga areas na may risk pa rin pero iyong risk mababa, puwede kasing mag-tweak, eh. Puwedeng mag-tweak ng model -- halimbawa, students don’t have to go five days a week,” she added.

[But, in areas where the risk is low, we can tweak a model. For example, students need not attend classes for five days a week.]

In areas where the risk of coronavirus transmission is still present, students can physically attend classes once or twice a week.

Apart from tweaking in-person class schedules, Robredo said the government must ensure good ventilation inside classrooms and also ensure that all teachers are fully vaccinated.

“Iyong two school years na walang pasok iyong mga bata, very damaging na iyong effects nito,” she said.

[The effects of two years in virtual classes could be very damaging to school children.]

“So the sooner that we can do face-to-face, as long as napapangalagaan iyong mga anxieties natin over the transmission, iyon iyong pinaka-maganda” (so long as our anxieties over transmission are addressed, that’s the best we can do), she added.  —LBG, GMA News