Robredo urges DepEd to realign P29-billion budget to fund distance learning, health concerns
MANILA, Philippines — With classes set to reopen in less than two weeks amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Vice President Leni Robredo on Monday wrote Education Secretary Leonor Briones to urge that a budget for rehabilitating school buildings be realigned to address several distance learning and health concerns raised by stakeholders.
"Around P29.5 billion was earmarked for the rehabilitation of school buildings for 2020...This amount can be used to procure the needed gadgets and equipment for distance learning, as well as address the health concerns of educators," Robredo said.
She emphasized that rehabilitating school buildings is not a priority at the moment, given the shift to blended learning.
Meanwhile, she highlighted that access to internet has become paramount for many learners who hope to participate in distance learning this school year.
"Data shows that around 61% of 14 million households do not have access to the internet. Moreover, 74% or around 347,000 schools do not have the infrastructure to engage in online learning," the vice president said.
"While we understand the Department has set up the DepEd Commons learning platform for students to access lessons on their own, we have received reports that only 7 million learning platform for students have so far subscribed to this platform. This constitutes only 35% of the estimated 20 million public school students in the country," she added.
Robredo urged DepEd to set up internet hubs in schools and communities to address these gaps in access.
Realign P700 million for teachers' health concerns
In addition to distance learning concerns, she reiterated that teachers are worried for their own health, and are still waiting on DepEd to bare its plans on how it will ensure their safety, amid the pandemic.
"These anxieties are becoming more pronounced given that they too, will be among our frontliners when the school year opens," Robredo said.
Given this, she recommended that DepEd immediately realign a P700 million budget for the in-service training of teachers in order to take the following steps for them instead:
- mass COVID-19 testing with results out before classes begin
- set up a sufficient fund for physical checkups and medicine
- provide supplies such as personal protective equipment, hand sanitizers and other necessary materials
- issue regular and timely hazard pay
- create a system to address health and wellness needs
“Many of these trainings have already, or will be, shifted to online modalities, thus freeing up resources that would otherwise have been used for travel and accommodations,” she said. — Bella Perez-Rubio
Follow this thread for updates on when classes will resume, and how those classes will be conducted.
Photo: Students wearing protective face masks have their temperatures taken while entering their college campus in Manila on January 31, 2020. AFP/Ted Aljibe
DepEd says School Year 2022-2023 "shall open on Monday, August 22, 2022, and shall end on July 7, 2023. It shall consist of 203 school days or as may be determined by further issuance/s in case of changes in the school calendar due to unforeseen circumstances."
Sen. Nancy Binay calls on the Commission on Higher Education and the inter-agency task force on COVID-19 not to "burden" students over requirements for face-to-face classes.
Higher educations students are being required to present medical insurance and other documents before participating in face-to-face classes.
“This is a cumbersome and unnecessary requirement para sa college students, considering that by law, all Filipinos are automatic members of PhilHealth. Sa totoo lang, 'di kailangang dagdagan ang proseso, dapat nga mas simplehan pa,” Binay says.
The Department of Education announces that it will increase the number of participating schools in the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes.
"The expansion of the number of pilot schools will allow a greater degree of experience among all our regions that will serve us well for the expanded phase of face-to-face classes," DepEd says.
With the approval of the Office of the President, the Department of Education is announcing that it will increase the number of participating schools in the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes.
— DepEd (@DepEd_PH) November 11, 2021
Read: https://t.co/cCqC91kZPw pic.twitter.com/Us3GvFxp1F
COVID-19 immunization has started for tertiary students in Ilocos Norte as part of the massive vaccination campaign of the Commission on Higher Education.
This in preparation for the reopening of in-person tertiary classes, CHED-Regional Office 1 said as a ceremonial vaccination of students at Mariano Marcos State University was held on Monday in collaboration with the Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, the provincial government and Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center.
About 800 students are expected to be inoculated through the CHED immunization drive.
Prior to this, MMSU had already vaccinated 75% of its student population. — The STAR/Artemio Dumlao
President Rodrigo Duterte has authorized limited face-to-face classes for the following programs:
- Engineering and Technology programs
- Hospitality/ Hotel and Restaurant Management
- Tourism/ Travel Management
- Marine Engineering
- Marine Transportation
Commission on Higher Education Chairman Popoy De Vera, who made the announcement, said the authorization applies to "degree programs that require hands-on experience in higher education institutions under Modified General Community Quarantine."
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