Duterte says it’s useless to talk about opening of classes sans vaccine vs COVID-19

May 26, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte said that it is useless to talk about opening of classes when there is no vaccine yet against the coronavirus disease.

In a televised message on Monday night, Duterte said without the vaccine, it would be dangerous for children to go to classes.

"Without a vaccine, it's really danger. It spells disaster...I will not allow the opening of classes where children will be seated beside each other," he said.

Duterte said he does not care even if the children could not finish yet their studies nor no new doctors or engineers could be produced within this generation.

"Unless I am sure that they are really safe. It's useless to be talking about opening of classes. That's what I mean. For me, there should be vaccine first," he stressed.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases earlier approved the proposal of the Department of Education to open classes for basic education on August 24 and would end on April 30 next year.

The opening of private schools will be allowed within the period provided by law and "no face-to-face classes" would be allowed earlier than August 24, IATF said in a resolution.

The IATF also said schools could adopt various learning delivery such as face-to-face, blending learning, distance learning, home schooling, and other modes of delivery. Celerina Monte/DMS