YESTERDAY was the first day of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) pilot run of face-to-face classes. It must take stock of the lessons in safe school reopening—two of which were the importance of conducting screening testing among participating teachers and learners, and strictly enforcing the “Schools as Zones of Peace” policy.
Three schools in Zambales province which were set to participate in the same pilot run postponed school reopening yesterday after some teachers tested positive in the COVID-19 antigen testing sponsored by the local government unit one day before the pilot run.
Perhaps weekly screening/testing for face-to-face classes should be a national polic? It would sizably lessen the probability of COVID-19 outbreaks in schools. The national government should take the responsibility of funding these tests so that it can be implemented nationwide, even and especially in areas where the local governments have scant resources.
DepEd should review its knee-jerk position against antigen testing for learners as such could purportedly be traumatic to children. It can consult health and child psychology experts, as well as look into the practice of other countries on the matter to have a better-informed position and know the options that are available.
While screening/testing is absent in many schools, it is shocking to see, on the other hand, the presence of armed forces in a classroom in Pangasinan. Such is what could be traumatic to students and should not be allowed.
The DepEd and the local government of Alaminos, Pangasinan issued contradicting statements regarding the presence of armed cops in Longos Elementary School — with the agency saying that those were security escorts of the visiting LGU officials, while the municipal mayor release a statement indicating that those were requested by the school to secure visiting VIPs such as the officials of DepEd and the Presidential Communications Operations Office.
They are now pointing fingers instead of owning accountability to this mishap. Meanwhile, nobody has explained why armed police officers were handing out learning materials to young pupils if they were merely supposed to be there to provide security to VIPs. They should not have been permitted inside school premises in the first place.
School reopening should not be handled the same way the government mishandled its response during the initial stages of the pandemic last year. Deficient of crucial medical measures like mass testing, while teeming with unnecessary militaristic intervention—this is how the government botched the country’s pandemic response. Let us not make a repeat of this in education. Our students and teachers have been through enough.
