GOV. Gwendolyn Garcia wants to allow face-to-face classes for kindergarten and Grade 1 pupils in public schools in sitios in the Province that don’t have coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.
This is to ensure that the children digest their lessons, Garcia said.
President Rodrigo Duterte has approved limited face-to-face classes but only in low-risk areas starting in January 2021.
The governor said not all students can learn their lessons through the use of modules and not all parents can assist their children in understanding the modules if they are both working.
Children usually develop appropriate learning opportunities to build their social and academic skills and to prepare them for the transition into first grade and for school in general in kindergarten. They won’t have the same opportunities working with a module, she said.
“There are realities from the ground that it looks very nice but will this achieve education? Maybe we will just be spending too much and at the end of four months, the child knows nothing,” Garcia said in a mix of Cebuano and English.
Once face-to-face classes are implemented, schools must limit the number of students per class to enforce social distancing, she said.
Public schools nationwide will implement modular teaching once classes start on Aug. 24.
Meanwhile, Cebu Provincial Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Marilyn Andales clarified that face-to-face classes will not be implemented until January.
“So students who don’t have access to the internet or don’t have the necessary gadgets will have to follow the module. But for those with internet and gadgets, they can go online but we will still give them the module,” Andales said in a mix of Cebuano and English. (ANV / JKV)