By Kyle Tejada and Lorraine Santos
If there is anything that we all share in common, students and working adults alike, it is that we are all faced with an international catastrophe not experienced within the last decade. For the first time since the outbreak of H1N1 in 2009, we have all been forced out of our usual lifestyles, deprived of the safety of being outdoors, and are required to stay at home for our own good. Some of us have lost loved ones or have been infected with Covid-19 ourselves. These, among many, are only a few things we have experienced during the long course of the pandemic.
Homeschool teaching during the pandemic
Preschool is an essential level in the educational life of any student. From learning one’s first words to basic mathematics, preschool is the first few years that allow young pupils to interact with one another and to recognize their teachers as authority figures and source of guidance. The first few years of education are always the most crucial because discipline is instilled, the same being a definitive factor that would shape a young learner’s education for years to come.
Dosia S. Reyes, a law student of San Beda College Alabang – School of Law is also an elementary-level teacher/tutor for more than a year now. She continues to conduct her classes in a face-to-face setup despite the challenges brought by the pandemic. “Our neighbor first hired me to teach her 4-year- old son Math, English, and Science for a school year,” said Reyes, in a few words with The Red Chronicles.
Reyes also believes that face-to-face classes remains to be the best setup for preschoolers since they need interaction with their teachers and other kids, in comparison to other levels. She, however, expresses her concern that despite the essence of allowing all students, specifically preschoolers to return to their classes, the risk of their children contracting Covid-19 is still the hindrance to most parents.
Undergrad teaching during the online setup
Matt Ordoñez is a university lecturer who has been teaching at both the university and senior high school levels for three years at De La Salle University. He began teaching as a lecturer from the year 2015 to 2017 and began conducting online classes from the beginning of 2021 to present. He mainly teaches political science courses like Citizenship and Governance and Political Science, as well as general education courses such as Great Works of Art, technology, and social science research.
According to Ordoñez, face-to-face classes have a lot of advantages that were lost in online setup. “Teaching involves an exchange of energy between the students and the teacher, and it is much more difficult for teachers to gauge student interest and engagement through the screen.”
He believes that there is a possibility that students attend their classes while doing other things. He has experienced students attending their classes while driving, commuting, or even having lunch. “Other times, I catch them playing video games on another screen. This is disheartening as a teacher but there is very little we can do to ensure their committed and undivided attention,” told the university lecturer, as he articulated just how distracted and preoccupied with other activities students can be during online classes.
Ordoñez also talked about deadlines for assignments being “tricky” to enforce. In his experience, there have been instances wherein students would claim they or a family member was recently infected and would ask for an extension. Despite his sympathies for his students, the lecturer remains firm in upholding the educational standards of his institution and follows protocol in verifying swab test results or medical certificates presented to him by his students as proof of their valid absences from class.
Mental health was also among the reasons for his students’ absences or poor participation in class. “While we try to be understanding, mental health is much more difficult to verify as it can be abused as an excuse without the proper diagnosis or documentation accompanying it. This definitely tests the capacity for both students and teachers to properly deal with mental health as a discourse,” said Ordoñez.
In his tenure as a college lecturer in an online setup, Ordoñez also believes that the contents of courses have been truncated and abridged for online learning. His institution has advised him and fellow teachers to meet no more than once a week to limit screen time of students and prevent “zoom fatigue.”
Although he believes that these concerns are valid, he believes that these can also cause difficulty in balancing and maintaining the integrity and quality of education. “Adjusting the course content places additional burden on the teachers. We are often encouraged to use other software and applications to make online learning more engaging, but learning them takes time and effort, some requiring more than others,” he shared.
When asked about a potential return to a face-to-face setup, as mandated by the Commission on Higher Education, he said that the possibility for its resumption would definitely be complicated but quite plausible at the university level in comparison to primary education as children are much more “difficult to regulate.” He raised a concern that classroom arrangements will also be a struggle in the pursuit to return to normal as some classes are larger than others. Distancing and ventilation would be another issue in smaller classrooms.
Transitioning to the “New Normal”
As the country moves toward the new normal and COVID-reported daily cases start to decline, the Department of Education (DepEd), upon the authorization of President Duterte, eyes more schools to be added to the list for implementation of face-to-face classes.
Most students in the Philippines have been in a standstill set up for more than a year while other countries have already made their way to bring their students back to school. The current public health emergency has raised worrying signs of an education crisis as a result of zero personal interaction among students and teachers and the inadequacy of distance learning resources.
In terms of quality and inclusivity, our education system has been declining. The 2022 presidential election gives hope to many Filipinos that the next leaders will be able to address the education woes and resolve matters of concern.
In terms of quality and inclusivity, our education system has been declining. The 2022 presidential election gives hope to many Filipinos that the next leaders will be able to address the education woes and resolve matters of concern.
2022 Presidentiables and the Education sector
After the unpremeditated release of the World Bank’s report on the poor quality of learning in the country, Vice President Leni Robredo, the sole female presidential candidate offered solutions to the supposed education crisis.1 She also cited the deficiencies in students’ performance on major subjects such as Math, Science, and English and the importance of adequate support to Filipino teachers in overcoming such struggles in the academe.
Robredo aims to find solutions rather than be defensive in addressing the worsening state of Philippines education due to more than a year of students having been out of school.2 Meanwhile, VP Leni suggested that schools may be opened in areas with low prevalence of Covid-19 cases, while the students in areas with high prevalence should be provided with their own devices to aid them with the continuance of temporary online learning.3 She further noted that students will be able to keep up with their lessons better in face-to-face classes, considering that not all households have access to a stable internet connection and sufficient gadgets.
Manila Mayor Fransisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso has always been vocal about him growing up as a garbage boy and how much he believed that education is the way out of poverty.4 He presented his educational platforms before the young population of Laguna voters, mentioning that he plans to help the Filipino youth keep pace with students from highly-developed nations. He vowed to ensure the future of the Filipino youth living in informal settler communities by making quality education accessible.
In view of the recent pilot face-to-face classes, Moreno implemented the prioritization of airflow and acrylic barriers in classrooms.5 The mayor also allowed limited in-person classes to be held in medical and health-allied programs in Manila with rigorous compliance with safety protocols such as but not limited to proper floor markings, scheduling, regular sanitation, installation of alcohol dispensers and handwashing stations, QR code-based contact tracing and availability of an isolation tent.6
In his second attempt at the presidency, Senator Panfilo Lacson is running a campaign against illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption in a different slate. To address the matters of Philippine education, during the first presidential economic forum hosted by business groups, the Senator expressed his goal of promoting paid internship programs for college graduates and undergraduates in order to maximize their productivity and develop their talents.7
Moreover, part of his economic agenda is to encourage Filipino students to consider courses relating to Agriculture and bring hope that Filipino farmers will receive the same level of respect and recognition as those working in agricultural industries of first-world countries.8 He also addressed the gaps in resources and facilities of schools in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas as he aims to balance the student-teacher ratio and integrate the learning systems in rural high schools.9
Ranking highest in the recent presidential surveys is former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.—banking mostly on the popularity of his father, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. He advised the DepEd to only send vaccinated teachers and teaching personnel for in-person classes in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.10 Marcos further showed support to the government for its efforts in trying to start face-to-face classes, a sign that the country is slowly going back to normalcy. He, however, encourages schools to focus on the mental health of students along with the resumption of classes.11
With his famous rags-to-riches backstory and international fame, boxing legend-turned-senator Manny Pacquiao also aims for the presidency. His agenda is mainly shaped by his conservative Christian upbringing. When the pandemic started, Pacquiao committed himself to shouldering the cost of operating 13 different TV channels for use by the DepEd for the academic year 2020.12 He expressed his empathy for students who cannot afford gadgets for online learning and vowed that he will make it a goal that no student will be left out in their quest for education. As of now, we are still awaiting his proposed policies on strengthening the Philippine education system and his plans for the academe as we move forward.
As the general public shifts its focus on the upcoming elections and the promised changes each candidate hopes to bring, it cannot be stressed enough that the power of our choice—our vote—determines the path our nation shall take. With the future of our nation laying in the youth’s hands, it is imperative upon us to seek and be informed with the proposed plans the candidates for election, most especially their plans in making sure that the next generation of Filipinos will consist of competent and productive citizens.∎
1 Mendoza, J. (2021, July 11). Robredo says PH should declare ‘crisis in education’ following WB report. Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1458367/robredo-says-country-should- declare-crisis-in-education-following-wb-report
2 Robredo calls on gov’t to declare education crisis. (2021, July 11). Rappler. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/07/11/2111761/robredo-calls-govt-declare- education-crisis
3 Santos, E. (2020, September 25). Robredo pushes or small face-to-face classes in communities with no COVID-19 transmission. CNN Philippines. https://www.cnn.ph/news/2020/9/25/robredo-limited-face-to-face-classes-pandemic.html
4 Remoto, D. (2021, September 22). Isko Moreno: The Boy Who Rose From The Garbage Bin. One News. https://www.onenews.ph/articles/isko-moreno-the-boy-who-rose-from-the- garbage-bin
5 Malasig, J. (2021, October 20). Isko Moreno told: Prioritize airflow over barriers in classrooms as classes start. Interaksyon. https://interaksyon.philstar.com/trends- spotlights/2021/10/20/202783/face-to-face-classes-isko-moreno-airflow-barriers/
6 Escosio, J. (2021, November 24). Isko: UDM may now hold in-person classes for medical, health-allied programs. Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1519506/isko-udm-may- now-hold-in-person-classes-for-medical-health-allied-programs
7 Lacson advocates for paid internships. (2021, November 6). Business Mirror. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/11/06/lacson-advocates-for-paid-internships/
8 Torregoza, H. (2021, October 30). Lacson hopes more Filipino youth will consider taking agri courses. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2021/10/31/lacson-hopes-more-filipino- youth-will-consider-taking-agri-courses/
9 Ramos, C. (2021, November 22). DepEd asked: Tap ‘last-mile’ schools program to give HS education to Pag-asa students. Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1518577/deped- asked-tap-last-mile-schools-program-to-provide-high-school-education-to-pag-asa-students
10 Sarangay, M. (2021, November 2). Manila Bulletin: Assure safety of students, teachers for pilot face-to-face classes. Manila Bulletin. https://www.mb.com.ph/2021/11/02/assure- safety-of-students-teachers-for-pilot-face-to-face-classes/
11 Sarangay, M. (2021, November 8). Marcos to DepEd, DOH: Address mental health of students, teachers. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2021/11/08/marcos-to-deped-doh- address-mental-health-of-students-teachers/
12 Sen. Pacquiao Sponsors 13 TV channels to Support Distance Learning. (2020, September 15). The Manila Journal. https://themanilajournal.com/2020/09/15/sen-pacquiao-sponsors- 13-tv-channels-to-support-distance-learning/