Filipino school children return after more than two years

The Philippines is one of the last countries in the world to fully resume on-site teaching in schools.

Children wearing school uniforms and masks had to queue for temperature checks and hand sanitizer before they were admitted to Pedro Guevara Primary School in Manila, which closed its classes in March 2020.

“Fun again”

The school, which has 6,000 students, has, like many others, implemented a system of blended classes and distance learning since November last year.

We used to have fun and now I can have fun again, says 11-year-old Sophia McAhillig, who for two years has only seen her teachers and classmates via Zoom.

But many students have a lot to catch up with.

Even before the pandemic, nine out of 10 Filipinos at age 10 “could not read a simple text with understanding,” according to a report supported by the World Bank, among others. Only ten countries were judged worse off.

Problems still exist

And when classroom teaching resumes, the old problems remain. Large classrooms, outdated teaching methods, poverty and a lack of basic infrastructure – such as toilets – have been blamed for contributing to the education crisis.

Before schools reopen, the government has increased vaccination initiatives and schoolchildren will be allowed to travel free on public transportation for the rest of the year.

On Saturday, they began distributing cash aid to school children and parents in need, which led to chaotic scenes in several places. In Zamboanga City, 29 people were injured when several thousand attempted to force their way through the gates of a secondary school.