Education Department questions gov’t decision to push school reopening to September

President Rodrigo Duterte had approved the recommendation of the country’s COVID-19 task force to reopen schools in September in areas placed under the general community quarantine (GCQ).

“The option in low-risk to moderate areas is to open by industry, and consider for 100 percent closure [of schools in high risk areas]… because children aged 0 to 20 are the transmitters. For all schools, let us consider a late opening in September, with the exception of online learning,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said, reading the Inter-Agency Task Force of Emerging Infectious Diseases’ (IATF-EID) recommendation in a virtual presser.

On its Twitter today, DepEd wrote, “The following is a verbatim report on the statement made by Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque and Acting Secretary Karl Chua.” Then attached a conversation made between Roque and Chua today at the press briefing.

“Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque: We have a law that says the opening of classes is supposed to be in June and August. But the recommendation of IATF is to open the school year in September at the earliest, how will this be, Secretary [Chua]?”

Acting NEDA Secretary Karl Chua: Actually, I want to clarify that yes, it is correct, there is a law…What the DepEd wants is to present to the IATF their recommendation so that we can abide by the rule of law. Anyway, we can still wait for the [recommendation] until end of August. Let us wait for DepEd to present [to the IATF], and for IATF to say if they will approve of the policy.