DAVAO CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he will not allow the face-to-face teaching or learning until coronavirus-19 vaccine will be available in the market.
In his State of the Nation Address on Monday, Duterte said:
“Until the COVID-19 vaccine is available, I will not allow the traditional face-to-face teaching or learning unless [all] risks of exposure to sickness are eliminated. I cannot and will not put to risk the health and lives of our students and teachers. [applause]
. . . About two weeks ago, . . . I seem to have said that I would allow the face-to-face classes to resume. But we were talking actually of January because my thinking is that by September, we would have the vaccine.
How to get it from the producers or from other governments is really something which we have to deal with because everyone — it’s a global need, and everyone will go for it.
But let me just mention it in passing that about four days ago, I made a plea to President Xi Jinping that if they have the vaccine, can they allow us to be one of the firsts or if needed, if we have to buy it, that we will be granted credit so that we can normalize as fast as possible.
A life that is lost is lost forever. Courses that are not substantial can be supplemented. Education that is delayed can be recovered.
We must implement online learning, modular learning, and TV- and radio-based broadcasts, which students coming from different backgrounds can avail. DepEd will provide printed modules for those who cannot afford online learning.
In support of the Learning Continuity Program through blended learning, we plan to increase the number of schools with ICT equipment in the coming months.
The DepEd and the DICT are building up the Public Education Network or PEN that will connect all public schools and DepEd offices nationwide. We will prioritize the connection of all Last-Mile Schools and those with no electricity supply can have it via satellite and energized via solar panels. By 2022, before I step down, the PEN shall be realized. [applause] I’m referring to the program. I will — I will do it.
TV frequencies reverted back to the government for whatever cause or reason [shall be used] exclusively to the exclusion of [private] persons or [their] dummies, to cope with the demand of the next normal. These will be used to provide uninterrupted quality education to our children in our shift to e-learning.
I am directing Secretary Guevarra, Secretary Dela Peña and Secretary Honasan, in collaboration with Secretary Briones, and Secretary Avisado, together with Secretary Dominguez, to come up with an integrated program and implementation mechanism to ensure that these TV frequencies are fully utilized by the government through the facilities of PTV4 for the utmost benefit of the Filipino people. [applause]
Let me just — allow me to segue a little bit. For the remaining two years of my term, all that is good that belongs to the government, whether it be the airwaves, whether it be the lines, or whatever that is good for the people, will belong to the government and it should be the government who should be given the first option to utilize them. Ang sobra, kanila. “
Some local government officials, however, said want face-to-face teaching-learning in areas that does not have COVID-19 case and in areas where internet signal and even radio signal is not available.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones has yet to announce the decision of the DepEd in relation to the pronouncement of the President.-Newline.ph