SENATOR Francis Tolentino on Monday urged the government to allow the resumption of limited face-to-face classes for post-graduate students.

Tolentino sees no problem if graduate school and law school students will be allowed by the Inter-Agency Task Force to attend physical classes for as long as they are fully vaccinated. He noted that allowing them to attend physical classes on a limited basis won’t be too risky, as long as they follow health standards.

The senator said most post-graduate students belong to the working-class sector and are eligible to be vaccinated.

Faculty members, other school officials and personnel must also be fully vaccinated before allowing post-graduate institutions to resume their respective face-to-face classes, he said.

Meanwhile, Tolentino suggested that dormitory owners and operators should only accept vaccinated tenants if the national government decides to allow limited face-to- face classes in low-risk areas to prevent the further spread of the virus.

In February, President Rodrigo Duterte, upon the recommendation of the Commission on Higher Education allowed the resumption of limited face-to-face classes for medical schools and other health science institutions.

The National Economic and Development Authority has also recommended a gradual resumption of face-to-face classes for Academic Year 2021-2022, noting that the blended learning scheme has deeply affected the quality of education.

Last week, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua told members of the Senate Committee on Finance that a year without having face-to-face classes will result in a projected P11-trillion loss in productivity over the next 40 years.

Chua explained that a year without physical classes will permanently affect students’ abilities, especially when they enter the labor sector after graduation.