Lack of internet and device access a problem, say educators MANILA: Classes for more than 24 million elementary and high-school students across the Philippines resumed on Monday, with Education Secretary Leonor Briones hailing the move as a government “victory” over the coronavirus pandemic. “Today, we open our schools,” Briones declared in a speech, signalling the official start of the new academic year. “Today, we claim victory over the destroyer (COVID 19). Let our classes begin!” She said that 24.7 million students had enrolled this year – with 22.52 million in public and 2.17 million in private schools – and that they were supported by their parents, families and 866,512 “devoted and self-sacrificing” teachers, as well as other educators. “We declare our victory over COVID-19 – the destroyer of our lives and destroyer of our economy and of our society,” she said, adding that the government would not allow COVID-19 to destroy children’s education and their future. “With such a huge army of supporters and benefactors, victory is assured for education, COVID-19 notwithstanding.” Briones said that questions had often been raised about whether the department was ready to open schools, even as the nation grapples with an increasing number of infections by the day. Her response was that there were crises and challenges every day. “Even if it"s hard, we have to do it. Education cannot wait. Our learners cannot wait. We continue with the process so we can give hope and continuity, and contribute to the normalization of activities in the country. We cannot wait any longer.” The academic year was initially scheduled to start in the first week of June, but was delayed after President Rodrigo Duterte announced that there would be no face-to-face classes until a vaccine against the disease was available in the country. The Department of Education adopted a blended learning system to ensure that children could learn and continue their education from home. It involved the adoption or use of online and offline tools, as well as television, radio and a digital platform named DepEd Commons. However, one of the main challenges of the new system is the slow and expensive internet in the Philippines. Some areas lack internet access completely, while many students, especially those from marginalised sections of society, lack access to the technology needed for online learning. Nazarine Romano, a principal at Espana National High School in the rural municipality of San Fernando, Romblon province in southern Luzon, said his area was one such example where online learning was inapplicable due to weak internet and with most of his students having no laptop or tablet to use at home. Students had to use printed modules provided by the school. “Fortunately we have some savings from our school’s maintenance and other operating expenses funds because of the lockdown since March,” he told Arab News. “So right now, we are using this to buy the materials – bond paper and printers to produce the modules. But I think this would only last for one quarter.” He said that since students were using self-learning modules they would have to be responsible for their own education. “The role of the school this time is limited to providing interventions and other initiatives that will help them in their effort to learn. So the parents play a big role in guiding their children to learn.” He added that one of his main concerns were students from the country’s poorer districts. “My worries are the families living on the fringes of society. In some cases, the parents can"t assist their children, and some of them don"t even have a hold on their kids,” he said, adding that even among high school students, there were those who could hardly read and were having difficulty with the fundamentals. Romano said that on the first day of school the most common issues observed in students was their difficulty in answering their module, with parents unable to help in the process. “There are also high school students whose attention is divided between their learning and helping their younger siblings.” Romano’s school had 892 students this year, with 34 teachers to monitor and check on them by physically visiting their homes or villages or through text message. "But we are doing our best to address the gaps and challenges for the sake of our learners. Even with minimal assistance from DepEd, we are determined to give the best education we can.” Duterte welcomed the resumption of classes, despite the challenges posed by the disease. “The school opening is a momentous occasion because it is pushing through despite the global health crisis due to COVID-19 ... Indeed, nothing can get in the way of the instruction and formation of our learners, not even a pandemic,” he said in a recorded message on Monday. “May this school year be marked with strong hopes and optimism that effective learning will take place even amidst the odds and challenges.”