SCHOOL opening in June is definitely out, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said last week. That is only a month from now and at the rate the COVID-19 virus continues to spread and kill people all over the country, opening of classes this June would be contrary to all that the administration has done to stop the spread of the virus.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases, which has been coordinating the nation’s response to the pandemic, has recommended class opening in September at the earliest, but the final decision has been left to the Department of Education for public schools.
There is an existing law, Republic Act 7977, which provides that the school year shall start “on the first Monday of June, but no later than the last day of August.” If, as some quarters have proposed, school opening this year be moved to September because of the pandemic, Congress will have to amend this law and enact a new one.
There is so much uncertainty on such matters as school opening this year because COVID-19 cases continue to surge around the world. In the Philippines, we have eased the restrictions in nine provinces but all of Metro Manila remains under lockdown – enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
In the nine provinces with eased restrictions – general community quarantine (GCQ) – business and transportation will gradually be allowed, but “social distancing” must remain. There can be no mass gathering of people. All such rules on distancing will be difficult to enforce once schools reopen.
Countries around the world are facing this same problem. In the United States (US), the school year traditionally opens in September, but many schools are now considering opening only online classes. The US now has the highest COVID-19 infections and deaths in the world.
Each country will have to decide how and when to start easing restrictions that were imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19. These include restrictions on travel, on opening of businesses, on gathering for occasions and events such as church services and sports events.
Probably the most critical of these decisions for us is when to reopen schools, for this involves the nation’s children, the future of our nation, most vulnerable because of their innocence. They do not generally share their elders’ concerns and worries.
Our national leaders will have to give the matter of school opening the greatest of consideration and study. If necessary, the law which now calls for school opening “no later than August” should now be immediately amended, to give our education officials greater leeway in making decisions.
