PRRD nixes school reopening until COVID-19 vaccine is developed

May 26 ------ With the “danger” posed by the coronavirus pandemic, President Duterte is not keen on allowing the reopening of classes until a vaccine against the disease is discovered. The President said it was useless to discuss any class resumption if the safety of the students from the disease cannot be guaranteed. “I will not allow the opening of classes na magdikit-dikit ang mga bata. Bahala na hindi makatapos for this generation, wala na makatapos na doktor pati engineer (I will not allow the opening of classes where students will be closely next to each other. So be it if for this generation, no one can graduate to become a doctor and engineer),” he said in his televised public address late Monday night (May 25).

“Wala nang aral, laro na lang (No more studying, just play instead). Unless I am sure that they are really safe, it is useless to be talking about the opening of classes. Para sa akin, bakuna muna. Pag nandiyan na bakuna, okay na (For me, there must a be vaccine first. If there’s a vaccine, then it will be okay),” he said. The President remained optimistic that a coronavirus vaccine can be made available before the end of the year. The Philippines is participating in the clinical trials for potential coronavirus vaccines.

“I think by the grace of God, we will have a vaccine before of the year. They are feverishly working on it,” he said. Until the vaccine is found, Duterte urged the public not to be “reckless” and instead follow the health precautions, such as wearing of face mask, frequent hand-washing, and safe distancing to avoid infection. Without a vaccine, Duterte said there will be “danger” and “disaster.”

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) earlier approved the Department of Education’s proposal to move the opening of classes for basic education to August 24, 2020. The school year will end on April 30, 2021. Different learning delivery modes such as face-to-face, blended learning, distancing learning, homeschooling, and other modes of deliveries have also been approved by the IATF.

Source: mb.com.ph