SEVERAL international organizations expressed their support to the Philippine government’s decision to reopen classes after nearly two years of remote learning because of the pandemic.

The United Nations, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization said the initiative highlights that school attendance is critical for children’s social development and continued learning.

“We commend the Department of Education leadership that enabled the start of in-person classes and its coordination with relevant agencies, including the Department of Health,” the organizations said in a joint statement.

“We acknowledge DepEd’s continuous efforts in ensuring learning continuity for children not participating in the pilot as well as efforts of local government units, school staff, health workers, and parents to support the delivery of quality education,” they added.

They stressed that available evidence showed that starting in-person classes as soon as possible “brings greater benefits than risks.”

The organizations pointed out that schools are not only central to children’s education and development but are “enablers and accelerators” for the realization of child rights such as protection, participation, and play.

“Without the safety net that school often provides, children are more vulnerable to abuse, gender-based violence including sexual exploitation and child marriage, and child labour that they may experience at home, especially in the stressful context of the pandemic,” they said.

“The most vulnerable children, and those who are unable to access remote learning, are disproportionately impacted and are at risk of never returning to the classroom.”

“The pilot in-person schooling is a positive step which provides an opportunity to learn how to manage and minimize the risk of infections in school settings. This can then be applied as in-person learning expands to other areas and schools,” they added.