THE PHILIPPINE Business for Education supported the holding of limited face-to-face classes in areas where the risk of Covid19 transmission is low.

“As Filipino students continue to lag behind their peers as shown in international assessments, we have to make their education a priority and have a clear plan to keep them safe. We have to hold fast with what health and education science advise us,” PBEd said in a statement.

The group expressed hope that safely holding classes in classrooms will bring back confidence that schools are safe places for children.

“If we can safely re-open malls, hotels, churches, restaurants and a number of other establishments — with the strict enforcement of health guidelines and protocols — what is keeping us from re-opening our schools?” PBEd Executive Director Love Basillote said.

“We need to be as deliberate in crafting clear plans to ensure that learning continues while our students are kept safe. Both can be done at the same time. We trust that our school administrators, teachers and students have what it takes to follow health protocols set by the government,” she added.

Some countries in Asia have reopened their schools, adopting a blended learning approach where some students physically attend classes while those in virus hotspots hold online classes.

“We stand behind our teachers, parents and students in advocating for quality education that rises to the challenge of our times. While we keep our students safe, we must let their learning continue,” Basillote said.