File Photo by AIZAR RALDES / AFP
MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has expressed openness and “may allow” the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes in areas low-risk for COVID-19, Malacañang said Monday.
The seeming shift in the President’s stance comes after a year of implementing distance learning in schools and a week before the school year 2021 to 2022 opens.
“Now, ang initial reaction ng Presidente, kung talagang pilot at sa mga areas na mababa talaga ang kaso, he may allow it,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing.
(The President’s initial reaction was that if it will only be piloted in areas with low cases, he may allow it.)
“Pero dapat pilot muna and areas na mababa talaga ang kaso. Just so that we could, as I said, pilot it and see if it works if it can be implemented in other areas,” he added.
(But it should be a pilot implementation first and only in areas where there are low cases. Just so that we could, as I said, pilot it and see if it works if it can be implemented in other areas.)
Roque said a small group from the Department of Education and the Department of Health would meet with the President to discuss the issue.
“Ang isyu ng (The issue of) face-to-face [classes] has ceased to be a pure education issue. It is a multi-disciplinary issue now involving the health department because of mental health issues, effect on the children and the lack of socialization on the children as well as an economic problem,” Roque said.
“So we agreed that a small group would present to the President.”
READ: IATF to convince Duterte to allow limited face-to-face classes
In January, the President approved face-to-face classes pilot implementation in low-risk areas but recalled the decision due to the detection of new COVID-19 variants.
READ: Duterte cancels face-to-face classes pilot implementation due to new COVID variant
The upcoming school year 2021-2022, which will begin on September 13, will still be conducted through distance learning, where learning modules, television, radio and the internet are utilized as media of instruction.