UNICEF: Philippine education sector hurt by long COVID-19 break

The Philippines education sector may have suffered more than those in its Asian neighbors due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, an official of the United Nations Children's Education Fund told a Senate committee on Wednesday.

In a hearing of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture on Wednesday, UNICEF Philippines education chief Isy Faingold said more damage was probable.

“It is likely that it is happening for two reasons,” UNICEF Philippines eductaion chief Isy Faingold said when Senator Nancy Binay asked if the country’s education was more damaged by the pandemic compared to other countries in Asia.

“One is the school break is longer and other countries did not have that,” he added.

Faingold said the Philippines took longer to resume classes and start the implementation of learning modalities.

He said that the country initially set the resumption of class in June but was rescheduled to August, then to October.

“The other reason is the school closure for in-person learning is more longer and more severe than the rest of the countries,” Faingold added.

In the East Asia and Pacific region, Faingold said only the Philippines had maintained the suspension of in-person classes since the start of the pandemic.

He added the country is also among the 14 countries in the world that never conducted even a partial face-to-face class.

“The Philippines is the only one who maintained school closure for almost a year and haven’t tried yet the partial reopening,” Faingold said.

On Monday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte had ruled out face-to-face classes until August. -NB, GMA News