On the occasion of the start of the school year, establishments in the Philippines reopened on Monday, August 22, to welcome millions of children full-time and face-to-face. After more than two years of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Philippines is one of the last countries in the world to return to traditional school conditions.
After the Philippine schools closed, a “blended learning” program was implemented using print media as well as lessons broadcast on television and social media. Ahead of the reopening, the government stepped up its vaccination campaign, and said it would make public transport free for all students until the end of the calendar year.
The problems resurface
On Saturday, the government allocated cash to students and parents to help with expenses, leading to scenes of disorder outside distribution centres.
With the reopening of schools, problems from before the health crisis are resurfacing, whether it is the large number of students, dated teaching methods or the lack of essential infrastructure.
Even before the pandemic, nine out of ten Filipino children were unable to “to read a simple text and understand it” after reaching the age of ten, explained the World Bank and other agencies in a recent report.
Only ten countries had a more serious situation, including Afghanistan, Laos, Chad and Yemen.