This July 2020, almost three months before the classes opened last October 5, 2020, Secretary of the Department of Education Leonor Briones said that “It will work,” adding that “Learning will continue, COVID or no COVID,” (CNN, 2020). This is a very good outlook for a country which is still struggling to beat the health, social, and economic effects of the current pandemic.

Personally, I have many reservations on the readiness of the basic education in the country. There have been a lot of concerns on funding the printing of modules, not to mention the great challenges faced by teachers in the development of learning modules, information technology infrastructure support, interconnectivity of students, safety of teachers, as well as the three million more students not enrolled (PDI, 2020). There have been numerous numbers of challenges that teachers and schools have faced that not all of them can be listed down here anymore. However, pessimism combined with a defeatist attitude will not beat the problems caused by Covid19 in the country, especially in disrupting educational system and services.

While it is already a given fact that schools and students will have to face a gigantic challenge on its shift from face-to-face to online and modular classes, there is way for everyone but to move forward. It is not to say that we leave underprivileged students on their education, but it is a must that we find our way forward in providing education to the Filipino youth. While we are moving forward, we hope that our government institutions will also pave the way to supplement the needs of students who are being left behind because of their situation of not being able to join online classes or provide for their needs during offline modular classes. We hope that when time normalizes, they will be given catch up programs so they can get along with their peers.

We are a great country of resilient people and our Bayanihan spirit is much needed more than ever. Our teachers have dedicated much of their time, energy and resources to contribute to their schools in making way to move education forward in their respective areas. These heroic acts of our teachers are commendable. Each hand is being joined together to ensure that education in the country will continue to move forward, despite of all the deficiencies, despite of all the imperfections, despite of all the lack of funding, despite of all the disheartening stories of young people who chose to do livelihood for their families than to pursue their schooling. While some are saying that our schools and our teachers and students are not pandemic ready, I would like to go against the flow. This might be a minority opinion, but readiness is also a matter of moving forward. We move forward not because we are 100% ready. We move forward because there is nothing in the world, not even a covid19 pandemic, should stop the education of our youth – ang mga pag-asa ng ating bayan.

References:

Pabico Lalu, . (September 16, 2020). Youth group tells DepEd: Just admit that we’re not ready for classes. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1336321/youth-group-tells-deped-just-admit-that-were-not-ready-for-classes

CNN Philippines Staff. (Jul 15, 2020). ‘It will work,’ DepEd says on its readiness for 2020 class opening. CNN Philippines. Retrieved from https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/7/15/deped-class-opening-briones.html

By: Leandro M. Malibiran |Teacher II| Bataan National High School Senior High School|Balanga, Bataan