120 Philippine schools to resume in-person classes

The Philippines will reopen up to 120 schools for limited in-person classes for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in a pilot approved by President Rodrigo Duterte, officials said yesterday.

While nearly every country in the world has already partially or fully reopened schools for face-to-face lessons, the Philippines has kept them closed since March 2020.

“We have to pilot face-to-face (classes) because this is not just an issue for education, it’s an issue for the children’s mental health,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque told reporters.

“It’s also an issue for the economy because we might lose a generation if we don’t have face-to-face (classes).”

Under guidelines approved by Duterte yesterday, up to a hundred public schools in areas considered “minimal risk” for virus transmission will be allowed to take part in the two-month trial. Twenty private schools can also participate.

Classrooms will be open to children in kindergarten to grade three, and senior high school, but the number of students and hours spent in face-to-face lessons limited.

Schools wanting to take part will be assessed for their preparedness and need approval from local governments to reopen. Written consent from parents will be required.