THE NATIONAL Union of Students of the Philippines condemned the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte disallowing the conduct of face-to-face classes until there are available vaccines for Covid19.

The group said the government should have done more to prepare the requisites for the safe resumption of in-person classes.

“From the onset of the pandemic until now, Duterte could have granted the people regular and free mass testing, conducted contact tracing and risk assessments, priming to ensure the implementation of minimum health requirements in schools and universities, employing health and sanitation personnel in schools, delegated a significantly augmented budget to education and capital outlay of universities for additional facilities and safety installations, among others,” NUSP said in a statement.

It said that the government has become reliant on vaccines as if it is the “end-all-be-all solution” for the pandemic.

The group urged students and youth to unite and stand firm in demanding for their right to education.

“We see the different attacks on our academic freedom and democratic rights, and attempts to silence those who are critical of Duterte’s despotism,” NUSP said.

“It is not separate from our right to health, defend our democratic rights and academic freedom, and embrace the patriotic, democratic, and progressive nature of our student leadership and servitude to advance the rights of the students and the Filipino people,” it added.