THE 1-meter rule in classrooms is an “obsolete policy” and must be removed to improve the education being received by children nationwide, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda).
In his last Ask Neda Briefing on Monday, outgoing Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick T. Chua stressed the importance of allowing children to go back to school and attending face-to-face classes.
Chua earlier said the human toll of purely online classes is P11 trillion over a 40-year period since only 37 percent of the learning is absorbed via online classes. (Full story here: https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/09/10/human-toll-of-purely-online-classes-%E2%82%A711-trillion/)
“Children can go to the malls, play in the streets, and even travel, yet they cannot fully have face-to-face classes. This is very unfortunate,” Chua said.
“For many Filipinos who do not have power, money, or influence, a good education serves as the stepping stone to realizing their potential and securing a better future,” he added.
Chua said the policy of maintaining a 1-meter rule inside the classroom has prevented schools from allowing children back on campuses. His son, Chua said, only goes to school every other week since the policy only allowed school capacity to just be at 50 percent.
He said he has already written to outgoing Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis-Briones and outgoing Health Secretary Francisco Duque III regarding the policy and he said they have had many discussions in the IATF regarding the matter.
Chua hopes his recommendations will be communicated to incoming Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Duterte through the transition message or notes of Briones.
“This obsolete rule has to go, especially since the entire country is on alert level 1 or 2,” Chua said. “For us education is a foundation of development so I hope this will be taken very seriously. The repercussions on the children’s present and future development are very much affected by their ability to learn better.”
He said if face-to-face classes will be allowed, the country’s economic recovery from the pandemic would be stronger as the education sector would have a higher share in economic growth.
Chua lamented that the growth of the education sector has lagged because of the lack or absence of face-to-face classes. “The pandemic has slowed down the pace of our development, but not our resolve. The good news is that our recovery is very evident as we manage risks better, increase vaccination rate, and open further the economy. Our 8.3 percent GDP growth rate in the first quarter is a testament to our strong recovery,” Chua said in his speech.
He admitted that the past six years were “very challenging, but also very fulfilling.” He said efforts that helped the economy in the past six years included the pursuit of the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program; the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program; and the Rice Tariffication Law.
These included the National ID Program; the Ease of Doing Business Act; and the Amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, Foreign Investments Act, and the Public Service Act.
Chua said the Duterte administration also enacted the Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer Law to help manage risks from the pandemic; the Universal Health Care Law; the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Act; the Free Tertiary Education Law; and the Philippine Innovation Act. Congress has also ratified the Rural Agricultural and Fisheries Development Financing System Act.
He noted that several executive orders were issued to extend or modify tariff rates and minimum access volumes to expand the supply and thus lower the prices of key commodities, such as pork, rice, corn, and coal. These have all helped reduce the pace of inflation.