(Eagle News) — Face-to-face classes will not resume until a vaccine against COVID-19 is made locally available, the Palace said on Tuesday, May 26.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, there will be no physical classes also “habang wala pa tayo sa new normal, yung wala na pong community quarantine.”
“Kung hindi talaga dumating ang new normal at hindi mai-lift yung mga community quarantines, hindi naman po ibig sabihin na hindi na mag-aaral ang ating mga kabataan,” Roque explained.
He said the Department of Education, for instance, may use alternative modes such as radio and television to teach.
Roque issued the clarification, after President Rodrigo Duterte said it was “useless” to talk about an opening of classes without a vaccine.
“Mga bata, wag muna. Yang opening ng classes, that’s a, I will not allow the opening of classes na madikit dikit yang mga bata,” the President had said.
Earlier, the DepEd said classes would start on Aug. 24, whether virtually or physically.
The Teachers Dignity Coalition however expressed reservations about the decision, even as it recognized the Aug. 24 date of start of classes was within the bounds of the law.
It called on Congress to pass a law that would allow the DepEd secretary and the President to move the opening of classes beyond August.