ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. France Castro on Friday slammed the Commission on Higher Education for not allowing unvaccinated students to participate in face-to-face classes.

“It is discriminatory to only allow those fully vaccinated join face-to-face classes when there is also limited access to vaccines. By imposing this policy, the CHED is limiting thousands, if not millions of students’ access to quality education,” Castro said.

She lamented that many Filipinos have no access to vaccines, especially in the provinces.

“Ang pagpapatupad ng ganitong klaseng polisiya ay lalong naglilimita ng access ng mga mag-aaral sa mga lugar na mas mahirap ang kanilang access din sa internet at iba’t ibang resources para sa kanilang pag-aaral sa kolehiyo,” Castro added.

She stressed that the CHED should not look at a student’s vaccination status but instead ensure that schools have adequate facilities, proper ventilation and follow minimum health standards.

Castro also urged the commission to mount an information drive to address vaccine hesitancy.

“Hindi dapat ang mamamayan ang pinaparusahan kung hindi pa siya bakunado. Pati ba naman sa pagkumbinsi sa mga mamamayan na magpabakuna ay puro pananakot pa rin ang ginagamit ng administrasyon laban sa kanyang mamamayan?” she said.

“Bakit hindi na lang nito palawakin pa ang information drive at siguraduhin ang sapat na bakuna para sa lahat kaysa manakot ng mga polisiya tulad ng ‘no vaccine, no work’ o kaya naman ‘no vaccine, no face-to-face classes,” Castro added.

“Face-to-face classes are still the ideal to ensure that the students are really learning what the teachers are teaching them. In the two years of blended distance learning, we do not need more policies that limit our youth from accessing quality education,” Castro further stressed.