Mas pahirap daw... Online at modular learning, pinalagan na ng mga kabataan

ni Lolet Abania | May 23, 2021

Umalma na ang ilang grupo ng mga kabataan hinggil sa desisyon ng Commission on Higher Education (CHED) na ipagpatuloy ang pagpapatupad ng flexible learning sa mga susunod na taon dahil anila, magpapalala ito sa kinakaharap nang problema ng mga estudyante at mga guro sa ilalim ng new normal.

Ayon kay National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP) Jandeil Roperos, ang bagong polisiya ay lalong magpapalubha sa nararanasang hirap sa pinansiyal, mental at emosyonal ng mga estudyante dulot ng flexible learning. “It would also jeopardize the quality education that is their right,” ani Roperos.

“Face-to-face classes remain to be the most inclusive and accessible option for education. If CHED wishes to pursue prolonged flexible learning, do they at least give gadget and connection assistance to those in need?” pahayag ni Roperos sa isang statement.

“It has been a month since lockdown, and frankly, the bursts of calls for academic breaks and academic ease are taking place as a reflection of how exhausting and unsustainable the current set-up in learning is,” dagdag niya.

Inilarawan naman ng Kabataan Party-list ang bagong polisiya bilang “gross negligence of duty to the education sector.” “Teachers and students struggle with lacking internet infrastructure and modular learning,” sabi ng grupo.

Ipinanawagan din nila sa commission, “to support calls to provide student and teacher subsidies and to allocate funding for the safe return to face-to-face classes.”

Ayon kay Kabataan Rep. Sarah Elago, hindi lahat ng estudyante at mga guro na tumalima sa flexible learning ay nakapag-adjust na sa kasalukuyang learning set-up, kung saan mas malayo pa rin aniya sa tinatawag na flexible. “It has taken a toll on students and teachers’ health and well-being as they struggle with online classes, experiencing stress and anxiety amid the health and economic crises,” post ni Elago sa Twitter.

Sa ilalim ng flexible learning, na ipinatupad bilang tugon sa pag-iwas sa pandemya ng COVID-19, ang mga kolehiyo at unibersidad ay nagsagawa ng learning o pag-aaral sa pamamagitan ng pinaghalong online (virtual classes) at offline methods (modules at iba pang printed materials).

Gayunman, maraming estudyante at mga guro ang nagrereklamo hinggil sa hindi maayos na internet connectivity at sobra-sobrang workload dahil sa bagong mode ng pagtuturo. Sa isang webinar naman nitong Biyernes, binanggit ni CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera na pinagtibay na ng commission ang isang polisiya para ipagpatuloy ang flexible learning kahit pa matapos na ang pandemya.

“Bringing back face-to-face classes will expose educational stakeholders to the same risks if another pandemic comes in and would have wasted all the investments in technology, in teacher training, in the retrofitting of our facilities,” sabi ni De Vera.

17 pang eskuwelahan, gagawing COVID-19 vaccination sites — CHED

ni Ronalyn Seminiano Reonico | May 20, 2021

Magdaragdag ng 17 higher educational institutions (HEI) na gagamiting COVID-19 vaccination sites, ayon sa Commission on Higher Education (CHED) ngayong Huwebes.

Sa kabuuan ay mayroon nang 34 eskuwelahan na ginamit bilang vaccination sites sa bansa.

Pahayag ni CHED Chairperson Prospero de Vera III, "With this initiative from our HEIs, the country will be assured that when A4 and B1 (vaccination priority lists) come in and the bulk of the vaccines arrive, we would have expanded the vaccination centers."

Kabilang sa mga idinagdag na paaralan ay ang Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Butuan Doctors' College, Capiz State University, Cebu Institute of Technology-University, Davao Oriental State College Science and Technology, Dr. Yanga’s College, Father Saturnino Urios University, General Santos Doctors Medical Foundation Inc., Gov. Alfonso D. Tan College, Iloilo Science and Technology University, John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University, Northern Bukidnon State College, Notre Dame of Dadiangas University, University of Immaculate Conception- Bajada Campus, University of San Agustin, University of Southeastern Philippines, at University of the Philippines Los Baños.

Samantala, noong May 18, tinatayang umabot na sa 3.3 million doses ng COVID-19 ang naipamahagi na sa bansa.

Nasa 786,528 naman ang fully vaccinated na at mahigit 2.5 million na ang nakatanggap ng first dose ng bakuna laban sa COVID-19.

Bakuna sa mga estudyante, sagot sa face-to-face classes

ni Ronalyn Seminiano Reonico | May 18, 2021

Pinag-aaralan na ng Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) ang pagbabakuna sa mga estudyante laban sa COVID-19, ayon sa Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

Pahayag ni CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera, "Magbabakuna ba tayo ng mga estudyante at mga bata? This is going to be discussed, by the way, in the IATF this week.”

Aniya pa, "In other parts of the world... they are reviewing their policy and thinking of prioritizing vaccinating students so they can go back to some face-to-face classes."

Ayon kay De Vera, maaaring makatulong sa mental health ng mga estudyante ang pagbabakuna dahil marami ang mas nahihirapan sa online classes.

Saad pa ni De Vera, "The mental health of students are really getting affected and they'd like the students to be going out of their homes more frequently. The answer in other countries is to vaccinate them.”

Ayon sa vaccine czar na si Secretary Carlito Galvez, kabilang sa mga pinag-aaralang bakunahan ay ang mga edad-12 hanggang 17.