Some parents hesitant about face-to-face classes

Some classrooms at the Maguisguis Elementary School in Botolan, Zambales had missing learners during the first day of pilot testing for face-to-face classes.

According to Raffy Tima's "24 Oras" report, some enrolled students did not show up as their parents were still hesitant to allow them to return to school because of the COVID-19 threat.

Those who attended the classes were wearing face masks while they have plastic barriers attached to their seats as a precautionary measure against the virus.

Department of Education Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma, however, was still optimistic that parents will soon be encouraged to let their children go back to face-to-face mode of learning.

"'Di natin pipilitin kung may mga batang hindi pa nandito sa loob pero siguro sa nakita nilang sitwasyon sa eskwelahan baka ito na ang pagkakataon na mahikayat ang magulang na dalhin na yung anak nila sa school," said Garma.

(We can't force them if children still don't want to be inside classrooms but if they have seen the situation in schools maybe this is the chance to encourage parents to bring their children to school.)

Edilberta Romualdo, school head of Maguisguis, said face-to-face classes will allow teachers to directly guide the children in their studies.

One hundred schools participated in the pilot run of face-to-face classes in areas marked as safe by the Department of Health and DepEd.

More than 20 private schools will also join the pilot run on November 22.

UNICEF, United Nations and World Health Organization backed the pilot run of limited in-person classes in low-risk areas in the country after children bear the brunt of uneven quality of education during the pandemic.—Consuelo Marquez/LDF, GMA News