By DEE AYROSO
First day cry
Tags: school opening 2020-2021
IN-DEPTH: Public education sector, neglected even more in the time of pandemic
With the pandemic still raging on, the crisis in the Philippine educational system has been further exposed. Instead of addressing the concerns of the education sector, the Duterte administration has chosen to neglect it even more by not providing enough budget for distance learning.
Students with special needs being left behind in distance learning
The learning modalities recommended by the education department are not suitable to students with special needs.
Not enough protection and care for teachers amid the pandemic
Public school teachers spend for their basic protection such as alcohol, face masks, face shields and gloves. The Department of Education admitted that there is no budget allocated for the hospitalization of teachers who will be infected by the virus.
No sufficient budget for distance learning
“This is an injudicious handling of the people’s coffers, seeing as how the state’s insufficient funding will further deprive millions their constitutionally granted right to accessible and quality education, while education workers will be subjected to unsafe working conditions and forced to again make up for shortages.”
Filipino parents, teachers face challenges over proposed blended learning
“The government has shifted the responsibility to parents without due consultation. Our government agencies are used to coming up with programs that are not grounded.”