ACADEMIC FREEZE | DepEd pushes through with October school opening

September 9, 2020 , 07:22 PM

(September 09, 2020) – The education department has dismissed calls for an academic freeze insisting the school year would finally push through on October 5, the agency head said on Wednesday.

Leonor Briones said there are more parents and learners who wanted to start classes than those who want it pushed it back further to early next year, citing petitions the department has received.

“Pag sabihin mo na may ilang daan tayo na ayaw magklase ay mayroon naman tayong 24 million na learners,” Briones said.

“Kung i-translate yan sa mga parents, about 48 million or just under 50 million parents ang nagpapakita at nage-express ng kanilang desire na ipagpatuloy ang pag-aaral ng mga kabataan.”

An online petition has been going around to completely cancel the 2020-2021 school year due to quarantine restrictions as well as the possibility of spreading the coronavirus in classrooms. This has garnered more than 230,000 signatories.

But Briones said there were already 24.3 million students or 87 percent of total students last year who have enrolled and ready to begin schools.

President Rodrigo Duterte has moved the opening of classes from August 24 to October 5 to give enough leeway for school institutions to conduct online learning.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has been advocating online learning so students could continue with their classes despite the coronavirus pandemic.

In cases where internet connection is faulty, DepEd said they could make do with blended learning and maximize the use of television, radio, and printed materials.

Not all though were able to adapt, with around four million expected to become out-of-school youth as some parents could not earn enough with current restrictions.

Briones though is looking forward to the possibility of face-to-face classes in January, especially in low-risk areas.

“It might be allowed in certain places, like yung zero level places at saka yung very dramatic yung pagbaba ng kanilang numbers, the rest of the country is low risk right now,” she said,

“But yung tinatawag natin na GCQ regions, palagay ko hindi pa rin natin papayagan yan, ako mismo, I will not agree. To that. It will be the president who will decide that.”

(Reports from Marianne Enriquez | Katrina Elaine Alba/MM)

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