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‘Knee-jerk response’: Teachers’ group hits recall of pilot face-to-face classes

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Jaehwa Bernardo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/09/24/20200924-online-learning-paranaque-gc-8308.jpg"/><figcaption>Charlize Hanna-Lee Eliquen, 8, participates in her third grade PE class while her brother in Grade 7, 13-year-old Carl Hailey, chats with his classmates inside their home in Parañaque City during their blended learning studies, September 24, 2020.<em> George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA – A teachers’ group slammed Sunday President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to cancel limited in-person classes, which were supposed to be pilot-tested in January, calling the move a “knee-jerk reaction.”</p><p>In a public briefing Saturday, Duterte announced he was taking back his order to conduct a dry run of limited in-person classes in areas with low risk of COVID-19 transmission next month due to the discovery of a new strain of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/26/20/duterte-withdraws-order-to-bring-back-face-to-face-classes-cites-concern-over-new-covid-strain">Duterte withdraws order to bring back face-to-face classes, cites concern over new COVID strain</a></li></ul><p>The decision shows that the Duterte administration is “in the dark” and “in limbo” in terms of handling the pandemic, ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio said in a statement.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-S_tjwPaHJI?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>“Hence its knee-jerk responses of holding back the conduct of face-to-face classes as opposed to employing a scientifically guided risk assessment of where and when physical classes can be held in light of the discovery of new strains,” he added.</p><p>Basilio said the risk of the new strains of COVID-19 should not derail initial steps in bringing students safely back to school.</p><p>“Instead, it should push the government to heed calls to guarantee health and safety in schools, maintain non-transmission in remote areas, provide ample tech infrastructure for remote learning, among others,” he said.</p><p>In an interview, Basilio said it was important to resume in-person classes because the current distance-learning setup is a failure.</p><p>“Wala pa ring sapat na bilang ng modules, walang maayos at abot kayang internet services, at walang sapat na gamit panturo ang mga guro,” he told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>(There’s an insufficient number of modules, we lack decent and affordable internet services, and teachers don’t have enough resources to teach.)</p><p>The Department of Education has said it would comply with Duterte’s order to suspend the dry run of limited in-person classes.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/21/20/deped-says-taking-extreme-caution-with-dry-run-of-physical-classes">DepEd says taking ‘extreme caution’ with dry run of physical classes</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/17/20/unicef-backs-proposal-to-resume-physical-classes-in-ph">UNICEF backs proposal to resume physical classes in PH</a></li></ul><p>Under the distance-learning system, students study from their homes through printed and digital modules, online classes, television, and radio.</p><p>But some have cited challenges with distance learning, such as learners’ difficulty in studying by themselves and unreliable internet connectivity, among others.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/05/20/mahirap-po-mga-estudyante-nangangapa-pa-sa-blended-learning">&#x27;Mahirap po&#x27;: Mga estudyante nangangapa pa sa blended learning</a></li></ul><p>Malacañang had said Duterte approved the DepEd’s recommendation to hold a dry run of limited in-person classes because the chief executive also thought that the implementation of distance learning in the country was “far from ideal.”</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/15/20/blended-learning-far-from-ideal-palace-says-after-duterte-change-of-heart-on-in-class-policy">Blended learning &#x27;far from ideal,&#x27; Palace says after Duterte change of heart on in-class policy</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k_QsiFL01EA?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>A teachers’ group slammed Sunday President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to cancel limited in-person classes, which were supposed to be pilot-tested in January, calling the move a “knee-jerk reaction.”</p>

A teachers’ group slammed Sunday President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to cancel limited in-person classes, which were supposed to be pilot-tested in January, calling the move a “knee-jerk reaction.”

‘Knee-jerk response’: Teachers’ group hits recall of pilot face-to-face classes

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‘Knee-jerk response’: Teachers’ group hits recall of pilot face-to-face classes

Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 27, 2020 02:22 PM PHT

|

Updated December 28, 2020 10:38 AM PHT

Read More:

education

Alliance of Concerned Teachers

face-to-face classes

in-person classes

President Rodrigo Duterte

distance learning

blended learning

Covid-19

Covid-19 new strain

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