Many of us are still hanging as to the ending of this crisis we are currently facing due to this pandemic Covid19. It is unclear to us if this problem will end soonest and, if ever this will go on for longer period of time. All we can do is to stay at home and follow certain protocols our government is giving us for the betterment and to cooperate to help stop the spread of this deadly disease.
As far as I am concern, this pandemic is a huge crisis that the entire universe if fighting with. As soon as this disease emerged, a lot of our daily routines were being affected and our lives are never easy again. This also caused problems to erupt specially in various sectors in the government and specifically in the sector where I belong, the DepEd family.
This disease is a big predicament for us educators and of course to our beloved students who are much affected by this. A lot of graduating students are already asking whether they still have the chance to wear their toga and if they still have a graduation rite. These questions are “hanging” because until the very hour, we still don’t have any clue as to the next chapter this pandemic will bring us.
In line with this dilemma is also the question as to when the opening of classes of the next school year will be. Then, rumors in social media are rooting as to the opening of classes. Other say it will be on June 2020, and there are also others who pushed that it will be on August/September 2020. Well, I have list down advantages and disadvantages to each if just in case, one of this will really be pushed through.
(Also read: Briones on moving school opening: “Public schools are not built for summer.”)
(Also read: Briones on moving school opening: “Public schools are not built for summer.”)
If the opening of classes will be on June 2020, it is more likely to:
ADVANTAGES
● Promote huge number of enrollees (since students were bored from staying home during the quarantine)
● More number of students means more teachers (advantage to hire more teachers)
DISADVANTAGES
● In case the virus is still not contained at that time, then the risk for the students and teachers
● Classrooms that were used as isolation rooms during the time of the virus are still risky to be used by the school
If the opening of classes will be on August or September 2020, this will be resort to:
ADVANTAGES
● Longer span of time means the virus may be eliminated for good without any risk to the students and teachers
● More time for the teachers to disinfect and prepare their classrooms
● More time with the family means more conscious mind and well prepared whole self for the classes
● Students and teachers will be prepared both physically and mentally
DISADVANTAGES
● Some students will want to stay at home and don’t want to go to classes because of the length of time he/she has been with the quarantine period (lazy teens mode)
● New routine to be followed since the semestral schedule is changed, then it means more adjustments for the students and teachers
● Number of days matters most so there will be an expected adjustments of the time periods and schedules
● Physical and mental adjustments for the teachers and students who are already used to their free times during the quarantine (sleeping time and etc.) because of the length of time they stayed in their homes
● The longer the quarantine period, the more the cobwebs and dust of our classrooms will be and it means more workforce we need during “brigada eskwela”
So, I guess I already listed all that I have on my mind. As an educator myself, it is also one of the things that I consider every night before I go to sleep. How about you my fellow educators, what are your opinions on this matter? Do you think June is the best opening of classes or will it be August/September? I hope this topic will make you also think on the mentioned things on top. – clea | Helpline PH
