Back to face-to-face schooling?

According to a Pulse Asia survey, 62% of public school students desire to return to school physically. In addition, the Department of Education is considering voluntary and limited face-to-face classes in areas where COVID cases are rare or non-existent. However, the president must sign off on it.

Due to limited access to gadgets and internet connection, most public school students rely on printed modules in the distant educational setting. Meanwhile, a group of private schools is urging the government to make its decision independently because they believe they will be better able to provide limited face-to-face classes in the new normal.

But first, let's return to the delivery of instruction. Take a look at a remarkable and devastating scene from a true-to-life Department of Education video, in which the tale revolves around the experiences of three people who are most affected by education; teachers, students, and parents.

The experience becomes especially difficult in subject areas where mastery of skills requires actual performance demonstration. For example, a teacher in charge of a specific dance class in a high school for the arts where students can choose from a variety of artistic disciplines. The adjustment is difficult for a teacher in her fifties who has been teaching in a traditional setting. The difficulty of dealing with online classes, computer programs, and applications is simply overwhelming, so this would not take days or weeks. Early retirement is a possible alternative for people who are unable to take up the challenge.

Following the movements doubles the difficulty of following the steps and sequence of a dance for a student. Such online learning gets unbearable for blended modalities because there are still modules to be answered. Witnessing a child's experience can be emotionally draining for a parent. Even though some parents are unable to provide significant academic support for their children, the psychological pain is excruciating to them.

As a result, the plan to return to face-to-face education, even if it is limited at first, is a positive development for the parents. With only a few days until classes begin, we fervently hope that the safety and health of our students will not be jeopardized. Precautionary measures must be well-thought-out and carried out. Logistics and protocols, such as school building retrofitting, where proper ventilation is critical, sanitation rules that must be followed, and teacher immunization, to name a few. Although we already have vaccines for the younger population, they are now on hold awaiting clearance, and if they do begin, it will take a long time to vaccinate a significant proportion of them. As a result, their safety remains a big concern.

We cannot afford to witness an increase in cases among the young population, because they are more sociable and hence more susceptible to illnesses spread through social interaction, as we all know.

It is impossible to overestimate the value of preparedness. And when Abraham Lincoln asked for six hours to cut down a tree and spent the first four sharpening the axe, he merely meant that we should always spend a substantial amount of time making sure that all of our tools and resources are ready to accomplish whatever goal we have in mind.