FACE-TO-FACE CLASS IN COVID-FREE AREAS MUST RESUME–SOTTO

SENATE President vicente Sotto III has endorsed the resumption of classes in areas already cleared of the Covid-19 virus, as declared by their local school boards. He warned that prolonging the dire situation of public school students, especially, who are kept from attending physical classes even though their areas are Covid-free could deepen the inequality among the youth. These students are struggling with connectivity and gadgets lack, making virtual learning hard for them.

“Yes, in areas with no more problem with Covid,” the Senate leader pointed out in an interview with DWIZ over the weekend, and added, “yes, those places that will be declared by their local school boards as possibly allowing face-to-face.”

Sotto rejected the notion of a blanket ban on physical classes nationwide, saying it was disadvantageous to poor students, who must overcome even more hurdles to quality learning. “Children of the rich have no problem .... Their parents can well afford good internet connection, and they have good computers. But how about those in the public schools? They must rely on what is being flashed on radio and refer to their work plans. And yet there are many places that are Covidfree.”

The Senate leader asserted, “those in areas already declared by the local school board can be allowed to open.” He said he disagrees with proposals “of some of my colleagues in the Senate for us to first have pilot testing in a given area.”

He warned, “it might be too late, pilot testing an area,” and, at any rate, in all likelihood the pilot testing will be “successful, because you will pick those areas where there’s no Covid.”

The delay is unnecessary, he stressed, and the students need urgent remediation as quality of learning suffers. It would be quicker to simply allow those in Covid-free places to go back to school.