Time to ‘face-to-face' the education crisis

When President Duterte finally approved a pilot program for limited in-person classes for the first time since the pandemic disrupted learning, it came on the heels of the Philippines being one of the last countries to do so.

In recent weeks, concerns were raised as blended learning was not adequate enough to fully equip students, especially in subjects that require handson training. But the Department of Education went ahead with the new school opening, touting the increase in the number of enrollees as a “success.” However, many organizations, including international groups such as UNICEF, kept on encouraging the government to find alternative ways as the prolonged closure is creating an “irreversible education crisis.”