The Daily Manila Shimbun

 

DepEd should allow face-to-face classes in areas where there are no COVID-19 cases: Robredo

June 25, 2020



Vice President Leni Robredo on Thursday said the Department of Education (DepEd) should allow face-to-face classes in areas where there is no threat of coronavirus diseases (COVID-19).

“It should not be one size fits all. Look at areas where there are no incidences of COVID or the area is not threatening… maybe face-to-face (classes) should be allowed. We just need to strictly follow the physical distancing and all the other precautions,” Robredo said in a TV interview.

She said though the Deped said they are ready for distance or blended learning, a lot of teachers are still at loss on how they will achieve this.

Robredo added she received a lot of requests not only for gadgets but also for electrification and cellphone signals.

“When DepEd announced that it’s going to do distance learning or blended learning, we started a donation drive (for) gadgets. We were overwhelmed by requests and it’s not just requests for gadgets but requests for electrification, requests for (cellphone) signal, requests for many other things,” she said.

“When we started talking with education experts, teachers, grade school and high school teachers… DepEd is saying that they are ready with everything but many teachers are still at a loss on how to operationalize,” Robredo added.

To address some problems, Robredo said their intervention now is not only supplying gadgets but community learning hubs.

“Right now, we’re still in the process of finding partners in the provinces.... the first ones to express their desire is in Negros, in Iloilo, in Manila also. Pasig has already expressed their desire to partner with us, in Bicol. But we’re looking for as many volunteers as possible and as many partners as possible because the idea is for the areas where there is no connectivity, and for children who have no gadget,” Robredo explained.

“They have a place to go to in the community where they don’t have to commute but they can use computers. They can read their lessons. There are tutors available. There are small classes available for those needing help like for non-readers, for those who need help with math, for those who need help with many other subjects, they have a place to go,” she said.

Due to the threat of COVID-19, the DepEd moved the start of this year’s school to August. DepEd also announced they will shift to distance learning as parents fear their children might get infected by the virus if they will go to school. Ella Dionisio/DMS