By Gabriela Baron
Senator Grace Poe believed the government “could have been better prepared” in handling the resumption of face-to-face classes.
Roughly 28 million learners returned to in-person classes on Monday, Aug. 22, two years after the COVID-19 pandemic forced schools to close.
“When we asked our students to return to classes amid the pandemic, all systems should have been in place to ensure that public utility vehicles are available traffic flow is manned efficiently, and health protocols are observed,” Poe said in a statement.
This as bumper-to-bumper traffic on Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City greeted commuters and returning students alike early Monday morning.
Poe added that classrooms “are expected to have the basic facilities” and students should be sitting on chairs, not on the floor.
Earlier, grade 7 students from Jose Abad Santos High School in Manila were forced to sit on the floor for the first day of their in-person classes as some chairs in the classrooms were not enough to accommodate all 43 students.
“Our students deserve a safe and comfortable experience as they brave going back to school amid the lingering pandemic,” Poe said.
“We hope concerned agencies will make up for the hitches encountered on day one of face-to-face classes and make the coming days pleasant for our learners,” the senator added.
–ag
