Rep. Quimbo calls out lack of plan for 2022 in-person classes amid COVID-19

Marikina City Representative Stella Quimbo on Tuesday called out the supposed lack of plan for the conduct of face-to-face classes next year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interviewed on ANC, Quimbo said no budget has been allotted for the transition to face-to-face classes, which are currently under pilot implementation in select schools.

“I think kulang din sa plano kung anong gagawin next year kasi noong tinignan ko rin naman kung merong budget for transitioning to face-to-face classes, wala rin,” she said.

(I think there is also lack of planning for next year because I saw that there is no budget for the face-to-face class transition.)

Quimbo made the statement while discussing that many teachers and students are still requesting to have gadgets for online learning.

She said there should already be a budget allocated for the additional equipment for 2022.

“Kung wala kang budget for gadgets, ibig sabihin noon nagta-target ka to reopen ngayong 2022, pero nasaan yung budget for that purpose?” she added.

(If you don’t have a budget for gadgets, it means that you are targeting to reopen the campuses this 2022, but where is the budget for that?)

Quimbo pointed out that the reopening of schools and campuses would also need a budget for hand washing facilities, sanitation, medical supplies, and additional classrooms.

GMA News Online has reached out to Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan Jr. for his comment, but he has yet to respond as of posting time.

The Department of Education (DepEd) earlier expressed optimism that the conduct of face-to-face classes will move to its “expansion phase” by January 2022.

DepEd Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma said after the pilot implementation this December, more grade levels and longer class hours will be considered.

“This would happen by the early part of next year. We are optimistic that we could start the expansion phase by January,” he said on December 9.

With the ongoing pilot face-to-classes, only Kindergarten to Grade 3 as well as Senior High School students are participating.

A total of 272 public schools and 18 private schools have been conducting face-to-face classes in the country under the pilot implementation, according to Garma.

Earlier, Malaluan said that classroom availability must be put to consideration when students from all grade levels return to schools amid the pandemic. --KBK, GMA News