THE NATIONAL Youth Commission joined calls for a nationwide academic break amid the spike in Covid19 infections.

NYC Commissioner Laurence Anthony Diestro approved a resolution that recommends the urgent declaration of a five-day national academic health break to provide a period of rest for students, parents, and teachers.

“As the country records the highest tally of new cases since the start of the pandemic, the situation calls for a time to get vaccinated and a time to focus on the Filipino people’s physical and mental health,” the commission said in a statement.

“NYC believes that the said academic break can be beneficial to assess the current situation and impact of the Covid19 pandemic on the academic sector, especially to the Filipino youth,” it added.

Diestro noted that the resolution seeks to give priority to the safety of students and teachers by giving them time to get jabs.

Some schools and local government units have cancelled classes as educators and learners tested positive for Covid19 or have experienced flu-like symptoms.

On Monday, the Commission on Higher Education reported that at least 260 higher education institutions have declared or will declare academic break.