- MITCH M. LIPA
Senator Sherwin “Win” Gatchalian expressed support to the gradual return to face-to-face, classes saying that the Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia that has yet to revert to in-person learning mode since the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, said, however, that the return to in-person classes should only be in areas that are ready, particularly in communities that are no longer under threat of coronavirus spread.
The senator was in Negros Occidental Saturday, Feb. 27, for the groundbreaking of Central Philippine State University’s 11th extension campus in Tabao, Valladolid town.
Gatchalian also led the ribbon-cutting and blessing ceremonies for the covered court adjacent to the municipal hall that his office had funded.
“In concept, I support the proposal. In fact, many cities and towns can already have face-to-face classes,” Gatchalian told reporters in an ambush interview shortly after the laying of the time capsule at the new CPSU site, which is a donated two-hectare area.
Gatchalian said he is pushing for a gradual opening of face to face classes in areas of the country with zero or very low COVID-19 case.
He cited the difficulty of the teacher as well as parents for online classes and other modalities of education.
“Many parents especially those who have not finished even their elementary education are really struggling in teaching their children so if there’s an opportunity to go back to face-to-face classes then we should,” the senator said.
Gatchalian clarified there is a need for a scientific study whether an area is ready for the shift of learning.
He pointed out there are areas that have low COVID cases but are very near urban centers and therefore remain at high risk because visitors can come in and go out of the community anytime.
Gatchalian said an island municipality or barangay with zero COVID-19 case can be a pilot area for face-to- face approach.
“While I support face-to-face classes, it is still important to have a science-based approach. Let us study well and see what are the localities capable of going back to the normal classes,” he added.
Since it is the last month of the school year, many institutions had closed early.
During the last quarter of 2020, the different schools divisions have identified pilot schools for gradual face-to-face approach.
School officials, together with the Parents-Teachers Association, and barangay leaders of pilot schools have started to draw up plans to implement safety protocols in case it is implemented in selected schools.
President Rodrigo Duterte suspended the plan because of the rising COVID-19 cases in some provinces for the second time.
With the vaccine roll out, the senator said this could be the best time to return to the normal learning approached in safe areas as long as the usual health protocols are observed. – MML
