MMDA to coordinate with DepEd over resumption of limited in-person classes in NCR under Alert Level 2

Metro Manila Development Authority Chairperson Benhur Abalos said Tuesday that he will get in touch with the Department of Education for the resumption of pilot face-to-face classes in the National Capital Region (NCR) which has been placed under Alert Level 2 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Makikipag-usap kami agad sa DepEd kasi importante ang edukasyon. Napakaganda na ng ating pilot face-to-face classes noong nakaraan," Abalos said during the Laging Handa briefing.

(We will be talking to the DepEd because education is important. Also, our pilot face-to-face classes have been going well prior to it being suspended.)

Abalos was referring to the time before the suspension of in-person classes when Metro Manila, the epicenter of the pandemic, was placed under Alert Level 3 last January 2 until the end of the same month amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases and emergence of the more transmissible Omicron variant.

"We will look into it and have a dialogue with Education Secretary Liling Briones and the rest of DepEd officials so we can resume out pilot face-to-face classes," Abalos added.

An education group poll back in August 2021 showed that  66% to as much as 86% of public school students learned less under the remote learning setup which was implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The poll, conducted by the Movement for Safe, Equitable, Quality and Relevant Education (SEQuRE Educ Movement) on 1,299 public students across the country, revealed that the highest percentage of those who learned less under remote learning at 86.7% was recorded among the ranks of those under the modular learning or those who study based on printed modules.

On the other hand, 74% of those under blended learning (partly online, partly modular) said they learned less compared with pre-pandemic times.

Those under full online learning were also no better, with 66% saying they learned less.

The poll cited that the majority of student respondents experienced occasional or regular problems with computer access, computer skills, internet cost, internet signal, understanding the lessons and complying with class requirements. — RSJ, GMA News