Leonor Briones
The threat of Covid-19 transmission is lowest in schools, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said on Tuesday as the government prepares for pilot tests on the resumption of face-to-face classes.
In a Laging Handa briefing, Briones cited results of a United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) study, which she said showed that more than 90 percent of Covid-19 infections among children were developed at home.
“[I]yong mga pag-aaral na lumalabas tungkol sa Covid at saka sa mga bata on a worldwide scale – ang Unicef nag-compile ng lahat ng mga pag-aaral na iyon – nagpapakita na… pinakamababang source of infection ang school dahil guwardiyado iyon at lahat, 90 percent ay sa homes,” she said.
The resumption of physical classes, Briones said, would require a community-wide sense of responsibility.
“Halimbawa ang bata pupunta sa school, kung kailangan niyang mag-public transport, sasakay ng tricycle o ihahatid, sasakay ng jeep, ihahatid ng parents, kailangang siguraduhin natin na may commitment naman ang mga transport and other providers na magiging safe iyong kanilang produkto,” she said.
“Sa canteen, halimbawa, hindi puwede iyong buffet styles ng pag-ano ng pagkain kung may pagkain man na isisilbi. Itong lahat ay babantayan talaga,” she added.
On Tuesday, Malacañang said that the government-monitored dry run for face-to-face classes in areas at low risk of Covid-19 would be held from Jan. 11 to 23, 2021.
Palace spokesman Harry Roque said that participation in the dry run would be voluntary and would require parents consenting to their children’s participation in the pilot test.
The government was also taking into consideration the possibility of asymptomatic school children, or those exhibiting no symptoms of the virus, becoming carriers of Covid-19.
“Ang bata, puwedeng makapulot ng virus sa iba’t ibang lugar at ang kapasidad niyan sa pagkalat ng bata ay mga bagong studies, ginawa ng Harvard, nagpapakita na ang mga bata kung minsan maski asymptomatic, baka nagdadala na iyon ng mga virus, iyong ating mga bata,” she said.
“Kaya maingat na maingat tayo. Kaya gusto namin i-pilot muna at titignan talaga kung paano ito uubra para naman ma-fulfill ni President iyong kaniyang pangako at ma-fulfill naman iyong kaniyang mandate na the children and the teachers and the community will be safe,” she added.
The list of schools to participate in the dry run the pilot test will be finalized on Dec. 28.
After the Jan. 11 to 23 dry run, regional DepEd offices must submit reports on the pilot implementation including a final recommendation to President Rodrigo Duterte. John Ezekiel J. Hirro