Written by: Joaquin
Edited by: Jaeho
Visual by: Summer
Ah, face to face classes— an idea that has been in many students’ minds since shifting to virtual school during the 2019-20 school year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While distance learning has many advantages including the ability to attend school from anywhere in the world and rewatch classes upon absences, many students yearn for the feeling and experience of face to face classes.
When ISM was originally forced into online school in March of 2020, it was assumed by many that face to face would resume after the two week community quarantine elapsed. Reflecting back on this time, Sophia, a junior, said, “At the start of the first lockdown in March I thought that we would at least be back in school by the end of May.” However, this would not turn out to be the case. The rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in the country caused ISM and every other school in the Philippines to be closed for the foreseeable future. This has led to the Philippines being one of only two countries (alongside Venezuela) left that have not resumed some time of face to face classes since the start of lockdowns in march.
On September 13, 2021, Taguig’s city government stated that the city would be one of the test regions for face-to-face classes whenever in-person classes are allowed in Metro Manila. This happened after the city passed one million COVID-19 immunizations administered, allowing the Department of Education (DepEd) to have faith in the city’s capacity for in-person learning according to Taguig’s local government.
Many students had a lot to say about this exciting news. Tarun, a junior, said, “I was shocked to hear that we might actually finally be able to go back to school!” Enrico, another junior, added that it had “been a while since I’ve met with classmates outside my close circle, so I’m excited for face to face classes. In a time as upsetting as this, we need these types of small wins to lift our spirits and encourage us to press on.”
Whether or not Taguig is able to push through with the long awaited resumption of face to face classes, students remain in high spirits and hope that in time, when circumstances allow and the situation is safe, we will all return to school in person, prompting what will hopefully be a step closer to normalcy in the Philippines
Works Cited
Sarao, Zacarian. “Taguig Gets DepEd Nod to Hold Face-to-Face Classes Once in-Person Learning Resumes.” INQUIRER.net, 14 Sept. 2021, newsinfo.inquirer.net/1487379/taguig-gets-deped-nod-to-hold-face-to-face-classes-once-in-person-learning-resumes.