Filipino students return to face-to-face classes after two years of online learning

Millions of students returned to school with the start of the new academic year on Monday, August 22, with many public and private schools resuming face-to-face classes after two years of distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Education (DepEd) reported that there are over 28.03 million pupils enrolled this academic year.

According to DepEd data, from August to October, more than 24,000 schools, or 46%, will utilize five days of in-person instruction while 29,721 schools will continue to offer blended learning.

DepEd has mandated that all public and private schools switch to entirely in-person instruction by November 2.

Face-to-face instruction was prohibited during the academic years 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 due of the COVID–19 pandemic danger. Schools started using online instruction at the onset of the global health crisis.

The Philippines was among the few nations in the world where schools had not fully opened for in-person lessons for more than two years after the pandemic struck in March 2020.

Regardless of their COVID-19 immunization status, DepEd’s “no discrimination policy” permits students and school staff to participate in face-to-face instruction. However, it motivates individuals taking lessons in person to finish their vaccinations.

Only 19% of kids nationwide have received their final doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 92% of teaching and non-teaching staff, according to the department three days before the start of the school year.

According to DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa, the fact that returning to school is not required after receiving the COVID-19 vaccination is a major factor in the low vaccination rate among students.

To safeguard the safety of all students and faculty, the Philippine National Police has stationed 23,000 officers across the country.

Spokesperson for the National Capital Region Police Office, PLt. 9,700 police officers, according to Col. Dexter Versola, are on duty in Metro Manila. Police help desks have also been placed outside of schools and transportation hubs.

With over 11,000 buses, jeepneys, and UV Express vehicles returning to non-EDSA routes on Monday, students will also have additional options for getting to class. go back to school.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority anticipates traffic on EDSA and other neighboring highways to increase with the start of classes. Compared to the pre-pandemic volume of roughly 405,000 cars, it predicts a rise in the number of vehicles on EDSA to about 436,000.