The first day of School Year 2022-2023 for elementary and high school students happened on Monday, Aug. 22, 2022; however, the learning modality is still blended: three days of face-to-face classes and two days of distance learning modalities. The in-person classes will be fully implemented come Nov. 2.
The Philippines pushed through with the school opening after the in-person classroom setting was suspended for two years due to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. Though there were limited face-to-face classes in selected areas where Covid-19 cases were very low, the opening of the academic year happened as if the situation was already normal.
The pandemic is not yet over and the virus that carries Covid-19 is still a threat. Now, here are the questions: Must the Education officials led by their secretary, Vice President Sara Duterte, still fear the Covid-19 threat? If the cases increase again, would the government decide to return to the teaching methods implemented during the pandemic?
The Philippines has been slow in returning to the conduct of in-person classes. Other countries have already returned to learning in a classroom setting.
Several young students have struggled with online and distance learning modalities. Learning at home or via the internet is not an ideal type of acquiring knowledge because there are so many distractions—noise in the neighborhood, online games, television shows etc. Some students cannot learn their lessons well because their parents did the research and answered the assignments.
The quality of education in the past two years has indeed deteriorated. Even before the pandemic, the education sector had been problematic. A 2021 World Bank study states that nine out of 10 Filipino children could “not read a simple text with comprehension” by age 10 pre-pandemic.
Since the classroom is still the better venue where students can acquire knowledge and skills, the government must not look back. It must continue the in-person classes and improve the country’s quality of education.