Millions of Filipino children returned, this Monday, 22, to classrooms. The country was one of the last to reopen schools, which only happened due to the worsening of school dropouts and the educational situation in the country. In order for the return to take place safely, authorities encouraged the vaccination campaign and gave free, until the end of the calendar year, students who need public transport. Check out how it turned out now back to school in the Philippines.
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back to school in the philippines
Interrupted since 2019, classes in the Philippines have divided debates across the country, known for being one of the most populous in the world, with a population of over 111 million inhabitants and about 300,000km² of extension. In this way, some actions were taken by the Government, in order to resume classes safely and improve the country's educational indicators, which show alarming problems.
Pre-pandemic scenario: What was education like in the Philippines?
Data indicate that the pre-pandemic scenario of the Philippine education system was no longer very encouraging. There is a very high number of students, which leads to overcrowding in schools, a technical and outdated teaching method, in addition to infrastructure problems in schools. As a result, 9 out of 10 Filipino children over the age of 10 were unable to read and understand simple texts, i.e., there were high rates of functional illiteracy.
What actions were taken by the Government during the pandemic?
With the onset of the pandemic, the Government instituted a blended learning program. In this way, they provided printed material, but the classes were broadcast through television and the internet.
What actions were taken by the Government to reopen schools?
Among the main attitudes, the following stand out: Creation of new vaccination posts and incentive to vaccination; Authorization for bus lines to transport children to school free of charge and transfer of money to students' families to help with costs – with the aim of reducing dropout school.
