UniTeam senatorial candidate Harry Roque on Wednesday stressed the need to hold safe face-to-face classes when the quarantine alert level goes down after nearly two years of modular or distance learning due to the COVID19 pandemic.
“We have to ensure that the COVID protocols will be implemented in the schools as we prepare for face-to-face classes again,” Roque said.
“We took care of our children during the height of the pandemic; we spared them from COVID19, hindi naman po pupuwede na as they return to school ay mahahawaan sila.”
The former presidential spokesperson acknowledged that online or distance learning is difficult for students and teachers.
“I am convinced more than ever that face-to-face classes are very important. I attempted to teach law again for one semester, sumuko po ako dahil I cannot do it online, although previously I was a full-time law professor at the UP College of Law,” the former Presidential spokesperson said.
The Department of Education (DepEd) planned to expand the limited face-to-face classes in January. However, the department canceled the plan due to the surge in COVID19 cases.
Earlier, some universities, schools, and colleges have suspended their classes as the number of COVID19 cases in their area increased.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) announced that in-person classes in all degree programs in areas under Alert level 3 might begin on January 31.
Roque said students should first have their COVID19 jabs before joining on-campus classes.
“When it comes to COVID19, we have to use our schools as a vehicle to protect our children further. Vaccination should be undertaken in our schools when they return for our face-to-face instruction,” he said.
Vaccine czar and Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said that the vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11 is safe. He said that the national government will start vaccinating minors starting February 4.
On the other hand, booster shots for ages 12 to 17 will begin in March.
