A YOUTH group chided Commission on Higher Education Chairman Prospero De Vera III for his claim that the 0.3 percent Covid19 infection rate among those holding physical classes was not alarming.

The National Union Students of the Philippines said that De Vera’s statement is “not good news,” stressing that CHED continues “to downplay the learners health and safety.”

“This is not good news on the part of the infected students and their families. 0.3% is still a lot of students infected by the virus. Stop reducing our lives and safety as numbers, as statistics,” NUSP Campaigns and Advocacies Head Coleen Mañibo said.

“Instead of seeing the 0.3% as ‘good news’, it should push them to implement comprehensive plans so that we can assure the safe and gradual resumption of physical classes,” she added.

De Vera earlier said that 41 students and 15 faculty members tested positive for Covid19.

He added that the infected students were asymptomatic and have recovered.

Mañibo, however,  deplored that there are no regular and mass testing and aggressive contact tracing for those attending physical classes.

“Let us not wait until one student or staff dies due to the lack of safety measures from the national government before they do something to ensure our safety,” she said.

“We put heavy emphasis on the safety of students returning to physical classes, it is high time for CHED and the Duterte administration to listen and do what the education sector demands them to do. Again, we are not just numbers, stop treating us as such,” she added.