Gatchalian files resolution to study COVID-19 impact on education as schools open Aug. 24

Solid waste management hearing: Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian attends a public hearing Tuesday, February 18, 2020 on solid waste management. Gatchalian has introduced Senate Bill No. 363 seeking to establish a National Energy Policy and Regulatory Framework for facilities utilizing waste-to-energy technologies. (Henzberg Austria/Senate PRIB)

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a resolution at the Senate calling for an assessment of the school system and the precautions in place amid the COVID-19 pandemic as classes start physically on August 24.

“Nag-file ho tayo ng resolusyon para makita natin yung impact nitong COVID-19 sa ating sistema ng edukasyon lalo na pagdating sa kalidad, sa quality yan ang isa sa pinakamalaking issue bago pa nagkaroon ng COVID-19. Ang gusto natin tutukuan ay yung number one tinatawag nating safe schools,” he said during a Laging Handa briefing on Saturday.

(We filed a resolution so that we can see the impact of COVID-19 in the education system especially for our quality, quality is one of the main issues even before COVID-19 happened. We want to focus on what we call safe schools.)

Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts, and Culture, underscored the importance of allocating budget for disinfection of schools.

“Dapat ang ating mga eskwelahan ay ligtas para sa ating mag-aaral pagdating ng August 24 at may budget na pwedeng gamitin,” the senator said.

(Our schools must be safe for our students on August 24 and that there is budget for us to use.)

“For example, yung paglilinis ng eskwelahan at pagdidisinfect ng eskwelahan, sino po ang gagawa nito, meron ba tayong budget sa pagbili nitong mga ganitong disinfectant,” he said.

(For example, in cleaning our schools and disinfection, who should do this? Do we have a budget for this disinfectant.)

Gatchalian also emphasized the requirement of wearing face masks for students even if physical distancing is implemented in schools.

Gatchalian also wants to reduce class size per classroom and limit the number of class days as the threat of the coronavirus disease pandemic continues.

“Tingin ko hindi pwede yung 50 students per classroom at kalahati lang dapat, mga 20 to 25. So kung ganun ho yung i-implement natin, hindi po magiging araw-araw ang pagpasok, tingin ko bawasan rin po, mga two days a week or even one a day a week ang pasukan para hindi magsiksikan ang ating mga estudyante sa classroom,” he said.

(I think 50 students per classroom won’t be allowed, the number of students per classroom should be 20 to 25. If we will implement that, school days will not be daily, we should also reduce number of class days for two days a week or even one day a week so that students will not be crowded inside the classroom.)

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) earlier announced that opening for basic education will start on August 24 this year until April 24, 2021.