THE government’s decision to move the opening of classes is a sign that it is not prepared to address concerns such as mass testing for teachers and deploying health personnel in public schools, education stakeholders said.
The class opening was moved from August 24 to October 5 amid the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, said Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones on Friday, August 14.
“As per the memorandum of the President (Rodrigo Duterte), he has given approval to the recommendation of DepEd. Thus, we will now implement such a decision to defer the school opening to October 5 pursuant to Republic Act 11480,” Briones said.
But Kris Navales, a teacher from the Quezon City public school association, said the government should provide safe and accessible modes of learning instead of repeatedly moving the opening of classes.
“Iyong postponement na ibinalita kahapon ni Secretary Briones ay pag amin mula sa ating gobyerno ng kapalpakan at kapabayaan nito upang ihanda ‘yung mga pag-deliver nito ng ligtas, dekalidad, at accessible na edukasyon sa gitna ng pandemya,” he said.
“Hindi puwede pong paulit-ulit na postponement, malaking injustice ito sa ating mga estudyante -- kaya dapat bago ‘yung October 5, matiyak ng ating gobyerno na ang mga requirements para makapag bukas ng mas handa, mas maayos mas ligtas na,” he added.
Navales said the teachers specifically call for mass testing and the deployment of health personnel to their respective institutions.
“Iyong mga specific demands natin sa aming mga paaralan, ‘yung mass testing sa ating mga guro, ‘yung pagkakaroon ng mga sanitation and washing facilities sa aming mga paaralan, at kailangan may nurse at functional ‘yung clinic sa aming paaralan kasi sa kasalukuyan po, teacher lang nagiging nurse sa aming mga paaralan. Kailangan may health personnel sana,” he said.
He added that teachers in Quezon City fear that their interaction while distributing learning modules will expose them to Covid-19.
“Iyong minimum health standards lalo na kapag nag distribute na kami ng modules, iyon po ang pinag aalala namin na kailangan masunod ang mga ito kasi kahit sinasabi po ng ating DepEd na walang face-to-face ang mga bata, may face-to-face po kami sa aming mga magulang kapag nag distribute na kami ng modules. Kung sa Quezon City po ‘yan, nasa 400,000 po ‘yan,” Navales said.
Kabataan Party-list Representative Sarah Elago said the government must allocate more funds for the education sector.
“Ang Kabataan party-list po ay nananawagan ng pondo para sa edukasyon na sasagot doon sa mga matagal nang nangangailangan nito doon sa sektor ng mga estudyante, teachers, dahil matagal na panahon na na neglected ang sektor ng edukasyon doon sa kanyang pangangailangan,” she said.
“Dapat po at least six percent po ng ating pondo sa edukasyon, ngunit taon-taon nasa three to four percent lang po ang nilalaan para rito dahil sa inuuna ang pagpapalaki o pagpapalobo ng mga pulis at military,” she stressed.
According to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), the Duterte administration must address the following concerns before October 5:
* Allocate sufficient government funding for the all the requirements of learning continuity amid the pandemic.
* Ensure school safety and health protection for education workers.
-- Health screening and mass testing before on-site reporting of education workers.
-- Sufficient sanitation and hygiene facilities in schools.
-- Nurse and functional clinic in every school.
-- Free hygiene kits and personal protective equipment for education workers.
-- Sick leave for teachers, hazard pay for education workers, medical fund for free treatment.
-- Strict observance of minimum health standards in school gatherings.
-- Rescind the policy of using schools as quarantine facilities.
* Provide teachers and learners with gadgets and support for internet expenses.
* Ensure the 1 is to 1 ratio of printed module sets to students.
* Do away with the stringent evaluation and grading mechanisms.
* Include education on the pandemic in the education program’s content.
“State neglect and ineptitude has left the country with nothing but the hard choice between two poisons -- to risk lives and leave millions behind for an unprepared education continuity program, or further delay the fulfillment of the youth’s right to education,” the group said. (Jove Moya/SunStar Philippines)