Tells DepEd chief that he “cannot gamble” with children’s health amid presence of more contagious COVID variants
(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte said that he is not yet ready to allow the resumption of face-to-face classes in primary and secondary schools.
In his “Talk to the People” on Monday night, June 22, Duterte made his views known to Education Secretary Leonor Briones who was initially seeking to allow “face to face classes” in selected 100 pilot schools.
The President said he “cannot gamble on the health of the children” especially amid recent reports in other countries that showed the new COVID-19 variants can infect even school-age children.
“Sa ano, ma’am, dito sa face-to-face, I think I am not inclined to agree with you. I’m sorry but mahirap. I… I cannot… I cannot gamble on the health of the children. I hope you’d understand,” Duterte said just before inviting Briones to speak.
-Deped Sec. Briones tries to explain basis for request-
“Yes, Mr. President. There are two basis for the DepEd position on the matter of opening of classes and face-to-face. One of course, which we consider very heavily is the impact on the economy because education and the economy are closely linked,” Briones said trying to explain the DepEd’s position for the resumption of face-to-face classes.
“And the second, of course, is the legal basis for the opening of classes and all other activities. We have a law which was passed last year, Mr. President, wherein it is the President upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Education, who will decide on the matter of opening of classes and, therefore, also on other activities,” she said.
Briones said that DepEd has all the data to support their recommendation to push for face-to-face classes in basic education. But she said, she is acceding to the Inter-Agency Task Force’s recommendations, especially after the meeting with health experts that explained the highly infectious characteristics of the new COVID-19 variants, especially the Delta variant.
“That part, we are familiar with. We have all the data. But there is another aspect and we recognize it, especially after this briefing and the meetings of the IATF, the matter of the health of our children and of our teachers, Mr. President,” she said.
Briones said that there are 27 million school children and 847,000 school teachers who had been affected, since face-to-face classes were stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After hearing President Duterte’s decision, the DepEd chief said that they will comply and admitted that the matter of health and the danger that the new COVID-19 variants posed for schoolchildren was not within the education department’s expertise.
“The matter of health and the dangers that are posed to our 27 million children is not within our line of expertise. We cannot match the professional knowledge of the health people. And this is why we always say that we rely on the Department of Health and the wisdom of the President,” Briones said during the IATF meeting presided by President Duterte in Davao.
The DepEd chief admitted that during the IATF meeting, she was hoping to get the support of President Duterte in allowing limited face-to-face classes even in 100 pilot schools in what she calls the “learning continuity program,” although she said the DepEd had identified 1,900 schools in what they thought were low-risk areas.
-Briones says DepEd withdrawing request for face-to-face classes in pilot schools-
“So there is really no problem, Mr. President. I came hoping for support for our learning continuity program na maski 100 pilot… We identified actually, Mr. President, 1,900 schools which might qualify. We kept on bringing it down na we said maski 100. But listening to the briefing and listening to your decision, we don’t have any reservations because we all know the effect,” Briones said.
Briones said that after hearing the health experts explanation about the COVID-19 variants, she would not want to risk the lives of 27 million children and 847,000 teachers.
“And especially the idea, Mr. President, having also our children vaccinated because we are told that children are now more prone and perhaps are vulnerable, and we would not want to risk 27 million children and our teachers,” she said.
Briones said that because the DepEd is part of the executive department, they are “withdrawing our request” to have face-to-face classes.
“We are part of the executive, and what the executive decides, we support and we cooperate, especially on a professional matter, Mr. President. So we are withdrawing our request in light of your decision and we accept fully your decision, which is a very well-informed decision, if I may say so,” she added.
(Eagle News Service)