Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 28) — The Department of Education says it will respect whatever decision parents will reach regarding the enrollment of their children in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Nasa parents na yun kung ano ang desisyon nila at rerespetuhin namin yung kanilang desisyon kung papag-aralin nila o hindi ang kanilang mga anak sa ibang mga paraan na hindi ma-expose to danger ang kabataan,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones in a Laging Handa virtual briefing on Friday.
[Translation: It’s up to the parents to decide and we will respect their decision on whether they will make their children study or not using other ways that will not expose them to danger.]
Enrollment for this school year, which will run starting this August 24 to April 30, 2021, shall be held for the entire month of June, said Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla in the briefing.
“Ang una nating gustong mangyari ay remote ang mangyayari na enrollment. Ibig sabihin, yung pong mga estudyante natin na Grade 1 to Grade 12, sila po ay kokontakin ng kanilang mga advisers, mga previous advisers nila,” she explained.
[Translation: What we want to happen first is remote enrollment. This means students from Grade 1 to Grade 12 will be contacted by their previous advisers (about enrollment).]
The agency shall also distribute survey forms with the assistance of local governments to those unable to enroll remotely that shall assess their current conditions, Sevilla said.
“[D]ito po, mad-design na po natin yung sinasabi nating Learning Continuity Plan kung saan hindi po pupwede ang face-to-face (learning) ay gagawin natin kung ano po yung iba pa na kaya gawin ng Department of Education na pamamaraan. Ito po yung learning delivery modalities kagaya ng online learning, distance learning, blended learning or even po yung pagbigay ng mga modules papunta sa kanilang mga bahay,” she explained.
[Translation: Here we can design the Learning Continuity Plan that we’ve mentioned, wherein face-to-face (learning) is not allowed so we proceed with other ways the Department of Education is able to do. These are learning delivery modalities such as online learning, distance learning, blended learning, or even the delivery of modules to their homes.]
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The Education chief also clarified that the agency’s stand on school classes is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s take on the issue.
“I would like to emphasize there is no conflict, there is no disagreement, there is no debate between the pronouncement of the President and that of the department because they’re exactly the same,” said Briones, adding that the department will not allow face-to-face, physical learning wherein students are right beside each other.
Earlier this week, Duterte spoke against classes opening while there is still no COVID-19 vaccine.
Meanwhile, some local government officials are calling for the postponement of the opening of classes in August.
Quirino Governor Dakila Cua recommended delaying it by six months to a year to ensure the safety of children. He also expressed worry over children not listening to their teachers and following minimum health standards.
“Kung sabihin ng teacher keep quiet, mahirap patuparin yun sa elementary,” Cua said. “Can we expect that to happen for children to know walang tapikan, walang hawakan ng kamay, walang playtime? Napakahirap irregulate. Baka dapat maging mas practical tayo.”
[Translation: If the teacher says keep quiet, it’s hard to enforce that in elementary (school). Can we expect children to know there shall be no tapping, holding of hands, and playtime? That’s very hard to regulate. Perhaps we should be more practical.]
Cua, who is also president of Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines, added that local officials believe DepEd must be given maximum flexibility to adjust policies amid the pandemic.
Marinduque Governor Presby Velasco, concurrently president of League of Provinces of the Philippines, proposed postponing the opening of schools until January next year.
“Rainy season na yun, eh,” said Velasco, referrring to the August start of classes. “Kung talagang rainy po na lugar, baka bandang November, December—pwede na po January. Kung merong required number of days, baka pwede habulin na lang sa bakasyon. Ang tingin ko po diyan, we shouldn’t start classes until the LGUs are sure na yung kanilang lugar po ay halos COVID-19-free.”
[Translation: (August) is already (under the) rainy season. If the area is really rainy, maybe (it can be postponed to) November, December— perhaps January. If there’s a required number of days, it can be offset during vacation. What I think is we shouldn’t start classes until the LGUs are sure their areas are almost COVID-19 free.-
He noted that the number of coronavirus cases may rise again as more and more workers, both local and overseas, are returning to their home provinces.
