BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR and RAYMOND AFRICA
PRESIDENT Duterte prefers to hold off the re-opening of classes until a vaccine for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is available, a position which Health Secretary Francisco Duque III did not share.
On Tuesday, presidential spokesman Harry Roque clarified the President actually meant that he will not allow face-to-face classes in areas that are still covered by quarantines. He said a “blended” system of learning, which can include online and distance methods, among others.
The President, in his talk to the nation on Monday night after his meeting with members of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), said that without a known and available vaccine, he could not allow the people to go out, especially students and members of the vulnerable sector.
“Without a vaccine, it’s really danger. It spells disaster. Mga bata huwag muna, iyang opening ng classes… I will not allow the opening of classes na magdikit-dikit iyang mga bata na diyan (Without a vaccine, it’s really a danger. It spells disaster. Kids should not go out yet. The opening of classes, I will not allow the opening of classes because the kids will be closely together),” he said.
The President acknowledged that a prolonged closure of schools could delay the education of children and eventually a scarcity of professionals in the future like doctors and engineers.
“Bahala na hindi na makatapos. For this generation, wala na matapos na doktor pati engineer. Wala… wala nang aral. Laro na lang. Unless I am sure that they are really safe, it’s useless to be talking about opening of classes. That’s what I meant. Para sa akin, bakuna muna. ‘Pag nandiyan na ang bakuna, okay na (So be it if they do not finish. For this generation, no more doctors, or engineers who will finish. None… no more studies. Only play. Unless I am sure that they are really safe. It’s useless to be talking about opening of classes. That’s what I meant. For me, vaccine first. If there is a vaccine, that’s okay),” he said.
During a hearing of the Senate committee on health, Duque said it is safe to reopen classes on August 24 as long as minimum standards for health are properly observed.
“Sa tingin namin ay ligtas naman kung bubuksan natin ang klase by August 24. Siguruhin lang na ang lahat ng ating minimum standard for health ay nakatalaga (To our assessment, it is safe to reopen classes by August 24 as long as we make sure that all minimum standards for health are there),” Duque said.
Duque said health measures will be in place to ensure the health and safety of students, such as the observance of physical distancing, frequent washing of the hands, constant disinfection of classrooms, the availability of alcohol and hand sanitizers, and thermal scanning of students.
He said parents must also make sure not to send their children to school if they have fever or are not feeling well.
He said, however, that the health department will continue to monitor the situation down to the barangay level to determine which schools are needed to be included in community quarantine if COVID-19 cases increase.
“Tingin ko magiging ligtas naman ang pagbubukas ng ating mga paaralan at meron din tayong evidence- based na ating titingnan na gaya ng IATF (I think the reopening of schools will be safe since we will also be having evidence-based [analysis] that we look into just like the IATF0,” he added.
Duque said there are non-pharmaceutical public health interventions also being put in place by the Department of Education (DepEd) to stop the spread of the virus, such as online learning alternatives.
In a Viber message to reporters later on Tuesday, Duque underscored the importance of schools being able to meet minimum health standards before classes are allowed to resume.
Sans the minimum health standards, the health chief said only by having a vaccine versus COVID-19 will schools be allowed to open.
“We can’t risk children going back until there is a vaccine. The vaccine is very important. Together with DepEd, we will explore alternative means to modify classes for safe physical distancing,” said Duque.
In a televised press briefing also on Tuesday, DOH undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire stressed that Duque’s statement does not contradict Duterte’s pronouncements on school opening.
“Sec. Duque has the same position as the President. It is not contradicting,” said Vergeire, explaining that the health chief was pointing how it was necessary for schools to adopt minimum health standards before schools are allowed to reopen sans a vaccine.
“Once they are able to meet these, and the result of our assessment is that schools will be safe to open, we can open classes,” she said.
“But if we cannot assure the safety of the schools because we do not observe these minimum health standards, or if based on our assessment, it will be unsafe, then, just like what the President said, we cannot allow schools to open until there is no vaccine against the virus,” added Vergeire.
AUGUST 24
Roque said classes will resume on August 24 as announced for areas not covered by any quarantine.
The IATF has approved the DepEd’s recommendations to open the academic year on August 24 and end on April 30, 2021.
Roque clarified that what the President meant in his announcement was that there would be no face-to-face lasses until there is already a vaccine, there are no more quarantines and there is a “new normal.”
“Pero kapag dumating naman po ang beinte kuwatro Agosto at nasa new normal tayo, pupuwede naman po. But kung hindi po talaga dumating ang new normal at hindi mai-lift ang mga community quarantines, hindi naman po ibig sabihin na hindi na mag-aaral ang ating mga kabataan. Mayroon po tayong tinatawag na blended learning (If August 24 comes and we are already under the new normal, it will be all right. But if there is now new normal and no lifting of community quarantines, it does not mean that the kids will no longer study. We have a blended learning),” he said.
He said under the blended learning scheme of the DepEd, televisions, radio and internet services will be tapped to ensure the continued education of students.
Roque recognized that some students may not have access to the internet which is why the classes and educational tools would also be introduced using television and radio.
He said some barangays may be asked to provide make-shift classrooms where the students can access their lessons online.
Roque said the August 24 target for the start of classes also applies to colleges and higher education institutions and not just for basic and secondary school levels.
Under the Omnibus Guidelines issued by the IATF, face-to-face classes for basic education level will only be allowed in areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ) and only if “the local risk severity grading permits and subject to compliance with minimum heath standards” are met.
Schools are also advised to adopt various learning delivery options such as face to face, blended learning, distance learning and home schools, among others; as well as to forego curricular and co-curricular activities except for those than can be done online.
For HEIs, they may open before August but face to face or in-person mode of leaning can only start by September 1 but subject to compliance with minimum heath standards.
In the areas covered by the modified GCQ, the IATF said “the basic education learning continuity plan of the DepEd shall be adopted” while for colleges and higher learning, face to face or in person class may be conducted provided that there is strict compliance with the minimum heath standards, consultations with local government units, compliance with the guidelines to be issued by the Commission on Higher Education and schools activities would not involve mass gathering. – With Gerard Naval
