Face-to-face classes in Navotas. Navoteño Ako-Navotas City PIO
MANILA, Philippines — A party-list group representing teachers are seeking for an additional budget of P32 billion for the Department of Education (DepEd) and other government agencies that are preparing for the resumption of face-to-face classes amid the COVID-19 threat.
According to a resolution filed by Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Rep. France Castro and other Makabayan bloc solons, the P32 billion would boost the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) of DepEd, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and other state universities and colleges (SUCs).
The lawmakers acknowledged that P30.06 billion has already been placed for the DepEd’s MOOE in the 2022 budget, and P835.6 million for the DOST for the Philippine Science High School.
However, they also said another P32 billion will be needed to ensure that schools are ready for the new normal environment. In a follow-up message, ACT party-list said that the funds can be obtained from the government’s income on excise taxes from oil products.
“[…] these amounts are needed so that all public basic education schools under the operation of the DepEd, its attached agency the PHSA (Philippine High School for the Arts), the DOST, and the [SUCs] will be provided with the appropriate physical requirements including classrooms with adequate ventilation and air filtration, basic utilities like water, and facilities for handwashing and sanitation,” the resolution said, copies of which were released on Monday.
Castro and the other Makabayan lawmakers — Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas and Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel — noted that some schools doing face-to-face classes right now are experiencing problems with maintaining public health standards, as these educational institutions did not have the time and resources to prepare.
Some parents, the lawmakers claim, are even mulling whether their children should continue face-to-face classes or just revert to either modular or online learning just to keep their families safe from COVID-19.
“In the schools having face-to-face classes now, many teachers, parents, and students have expressed their worries about the lack of water; insufficient sanitation and handwashing facilities; classrooms with insufficient ventilation and air filtration; lack of support for the PPE of teachers, school staff, and students,” the resolution said.
“No school has a complete and operational clinic with adequate supplies and equipment, and only a few have a nurse or ready access to a doctor. Some parents, considering these and the additional exposure of their children during travel to and from schools, have aired the possibility of pulling their children off face-to-face classes for fear that they and their families might acquire COVID-19,” it added.
While several schools in Metro Manila have started doing face-to-face classes, a lot of educational institutions still have limited physical attendance to ensure the students’ health.
Last June 20, then Vice President-elect and DepEd secretary-designate Sara Duterte said that she is looking to resume full face-to-face classes by August.
It appears that it was moved to a later date, as President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said last July 5 that Duterte plans to start gradual face-to-face classes by September and eventually reach full capacity by November.
READ: Incoming DepEd chief Sara Duterte eyes full face-to-face classes by August | Bongbong Marcos: VP Sara Duterte eyes 100% in-person classes by November
Education as a budget priority
Aside from the resolution, ACT also filed a bill seeking to prioritize the education sector in crafting the national government’s budget. According to Castro, at least six percent of the gross domestic product should be given to education according to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) standards.
“We also filed HB [House Bill] mandating the highest budgetary priority to education setting aside at least six (6) percent of the Gross Domestic Product to agencies and instrumentalities with mandates directly related to education,” she said.
“For the longest time, our public expenditure on education as a percentage of our GDP remains below the higher limits of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) standards of at least 6% of the GDP,” she added.
Castro also said that it is time to repeal Presidential Decree No. 1177 or the Automatic Appropriations Law for debt servicing, which amounted to P1.29 trillion for fiscal year 2022.
Both the supplemental budget and the house bill, Castro said, would be vital to improving the country’s state of education especially amid low scores in various world rankings.
“If we want to cure the education crisis in our country and enhance the quality of education provided to our youth, government must ensure there is sufficient budget allocated for education,” she explained.
“Equip our schools for safe in-person classes, and support our teachers by providing them adequate budgetary support to be able to deliver better quality of education, “ she added. With reports from Nicole Faye Agcaoili, INQUIRER.net trainee
READ: DepEd challenged by PH’s poor ranking in World Bank education report