Effects of COVID-19 on rights of children

Roseveen E. Lazatin

The author is Administrative Assistant II at San Pedro National High School,

San Pedro, Hagonoy, Bulacan

THE coronavirus has affected our way of living. All people, from all walks of life, are in one way or another victim of this virus, and up to now, some of us have not recovered from its negative effects, especially financially, emotionally and mentally.

Not only are adults affected by COVID-19, but children as well. Especially now that they will undertake the “new normal” in learning, or blended learning. Their learning environment has changed, and this will somehow affect them.

According to the Department of Education, the landscape of child rights and child protection will be quite different in the learning environment of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of its efforts to deliver relevant quality education and uphold child rights and child protection in the COVID-19 environment, DepEd will be holding a series of webinars with the theme: “Isulong! Karapatan ng Bata sa Panahon ng COVID19.”

This will be done in collaboration with the Office of the Undersecretary for Legal Affairs in collaboration with the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP), DepEd said.

According to the DepEd, the 14-episode webinar series will be conducted throughout the whole month of September and the first week of October, in partnership with UNICEF-Philippines, Stairway Foundation, and Save the Children Philippines.

It aims to capacitate school leaders, teachers, and parents on Child Rights in Education, Child Protection in Education in the Time of COVID-19, and Positive Discipline in Education for Parents and Guardians.

As a professional development program recognized by the NEAP, the webinar series will be able to award professional development credit units to participants, following applicable DepEd issuances. With the webinar series being in line with the Basic Education – Learning Continuity Plan, educators and teachers are especially encouraged to watch and participate in the webinar series.

The first webinar was held on September 7, with children’s rights in education and to development as topics, and a session on child rights was conducted on September 8, as well as September 14, and 15.

Positive discipline in education episodes for parents and guardians will be held on September 9, 16, 23, and 30, and October 7. Child protection sessions will be conducted from September 28 to October 2.

The webinar episodes will be livestreamed on DepEd Philippines Facebook page.

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