AN EXECUTIVE order declaring an academic freeze?

A coalition of students and teachers urged President Duterte to issue an executive order declaring an academic freeze until January of 2021.

Five months into the lockdown following the outbreak of Covid19 pandemic, the group asserted the government failed to take the necessary measures needed to make a successful transition to online classes.

“Students do not have the internet connection, hardware, nor energy to participate in online learning. More importantly, schools do not have the capacity to accommodate students. The classes themselves are nowhere near the quality required for proper learning. Simply put, no one is ready to resume classes” the group said in a statement.

The youth groups Samahan ng Progresibong Kabataan (SPARK) KAISA UP, Bukluran PLM, PSS-UE, the Office of the Student Regent of Bulacan State University, Stand BSU and ecological group SAVE Ph asserted the president ‘must place his pen where his mouth is.’

“The issuance of an EO to operationalize an academic freeze is the most appropriate course of action given the incapabilities of schools to ensure quality education as the country shifts to blended learning schemes with the COVID-19 virus remains unchecked,” it said.

At the moment, the Department of Education (DepEd)  set the opening of classes for public schools on October 5, while tertiary and private schools are allowed to open according to their own discretion.

“With the problems we have faced so far, pushing through with the opening of classes in 2020 would be a death sentence,” John Lazaro, spokesperson of SPARK stated.

Lazaro stressed that for weeks, the calls of students, teachers, school workers, and parents for an academic freeze were going unheard by DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education.

However, he added, thousands of students set to drop out of school for the coming academic year should be a tell tale indication the country is simply not ready to open classes.

“Between the 250,000 students shifting from private to public schools, and the hundreds of schools set not to open this year, I think there is more than enough proof that we need an academic freeze,” Lazaro explained.

“While (DepEd Secretary) Briones and (CHED Commissioner] De Vera continue to delay the academic freeze decision, Duterte could simply enact it in one order,” he added.