THE ALLIANCE  of Concerned Teachers called on President Rodrigo Duterte to “work on school safety instead of simply rejecting the return to schools of teachers and learners.”

The group denounced the decision of the President rejecting the resumption of physical classes.

“How convenient for the President to harp on his so-called concern on our safety to evade his responsibility of fulfilling the youth’s right to education. Many countries around the world have found ways to enable the safe return to schools, it is plainly lazy and unimaginative to depend our education on the government’s delayed and uncertain vaccination program,” Raymond Basilio, the group’s secretary general, said.

Basilio shared that ACT has submitted its recommendations to the DepEd on how to prepare for the gradual resumption of limited and voluntary face-to-face classes in low-risk areas .

Their proposals includes having competent risk assessment of schools;  installation of health and sanitation facilities; retrofitting of classrooms; hiring of school health personnel; mass testing for teachers and learners; and reduction of class size and implementation of minimum health standards.

“The worsening learning crisis proves that the poorly-funded and ill-equipped distance learning is ineffective, especially for the poorest learners in far-flung areas, as such, safe back to school is their best chance at gaining access to quality education amid the pandemic,” Basilio said.

He blamed the government for the “learning crisis” which he claimed arose from the “neglect of the needs of education continuity.”

Basilio called on the government to “make amends” by rolling out a clear plan for the safe and gradual return to schools of teachers and learners.

“We cannot be duped by the President’s pretense of being concerned with our welfare as his refusal to address the problems of education proves otherwise. If he has any genuine interest to prevent this generation of youth from going down the drain, we challenge him to work on creating pathways, not dead ends to the safe resumption of face-to-face classes,” he said.