Student, youth groups听call for emergency听education听plan听as school year opens听
STUDENT and youth groups called on government to roll out an emergency education plan as the new school year started Monday under a still strict nationwide ban on face-to-face classes.听听
A total of 90 organizations signed a petition asking the听administration to declare an听鈥渆ducation crisis鈥澨齛nd听address the听problems of a听distance learning听policy.听听
鈥淚mplementing an emergency plan as soon as possible that covers the safe reopening of schools in selected areas, the effective utilization of the education budget and the provision of mental health services for students and other members of the education sector is clearly a matter of life and death,鈥澨齭aid Senator Ana Theresia N.听Hontiveros-Baraquel, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality in a statement on Monday.听听
Ms.听Hontiveros听filed听a resolution听on Sept. 8听in support of the youth听and student听organizations.听
鈥淭his听(distance learning)听has since widened the already alarming socio-economic divide, degraded mental health, and systematically neglected student welfare听鈥斕齪utting the Filipino youth鈥檚 and the nation鈥檚 future at stake,鈥澨齮he听Student Council Alliance of the Philippines听said听in a statement on Monday.听听
More than half or 55%听of students said distance learning activities had adversely affected their mental and physical health, according to a study by Movement for Safe, Equitable, Quality and Relevant Education.听听
The National Research Council of the Philippines noted from a study that 90% of students learn less听under a听remote learning set-up due to inexperience with听such arrangement听or unavailability of internet connection.听鈥斕鼳lyssa Nicole O. Tan听
