VICE President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte yesterday told graduates of the Emilio Aguinaldo College in Dasmarinas, Cavite to “serve, protect and love our country.”
In her speech during the 49th commencement exercises of over 400 graduates, Duterte said: “As you move forward to reach the goals you have charted for yourselves, may you constantly be reminded that as citizens, you have a duty to our country – to serve, protect, and love our motherland.”
She called on the graduates to use the skills and knowledge they gained under the K to 12 program that started six years ago not only for their improvement but the country as well.
“You are the living proof of our country’s first attempt at producing graduates with 21st-century education – equipped with life, career, learning and innovation, and communication and information technology skills,” Duterte said.
“Hard work brought you here today, and hard work tags along with incredible opportunities that will bring pride and glory to you, your family, and your communities,” she added.
Duterte had earlier said that President Marcos had instructed her to review the implementation of the K to 12 program, which added two years to the basic education curriculum.
She said a thorough discussion on the K to 12 program, along with the effects of the pandemic on students and the full implementation of face-to-face classes in the coming school year, will be her main focus.
In the same speech, Duterte also recognized the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on education, adding the pandemic is no match to the government’s commitment in ensuring educational continuity and quality amid challenges.
“The pandemic was no match for the collective resolve of the Philippine government and all education stakeholders in our country, who ensured that Filipino learners continue to have access to education,” she said, telling the graduates and their parents as well as teachers and school officials that they embody Filipino resiliency and the indomitable will to overcome difficult times.
Last Monday, Duterte said her predecessor, Leonor Briones, made the right and courageous move when she ordered the resumption of classes amid calls for an academic freeze due to the pandemic.
She reminded the graduates to be resilient against challenges that come their way.
“Life will never be easy. But when faced with a problem, you sit down and think about the options and the solutions. Never give up,” she said.
Duterte said she hopes the graduates of the college named after former President Emilio Aguinaldo will reflect on the acts of heroism and bravery of the country’s first and youngest chief executive.
“Just like all other Filipino heroes, Aguinaldo chose to love our country. And choosing to love a country is an act of bravery,” she added.
‘SCIENCE-BASED APPROACH’
Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo advised Duterte to take a “science-based” approach on her plan to return to full face-to-face classes to “give parents an assurance that their children will be safe.”
While he is in favor of the Vice President’s plan, the returning administration lawmaker said the government “should approach this, and there is still time, based on science.”
“That’s right. Let’s aim for 100 percent face-to-face but the proper approach there, to me, is to consult health experts. We have to give parents assurance that it’s safe for students to return to face-to-face (classes),” Romulo told the “Laging Handa” public briefing aired on PTV-4.
Romulo, a former chair of the House committee on basic education, said precautionary measures have to be in place to assure parents and their children that they will be relatively safe when they physically return to school.
“We have to make sure that we’ll be able to get an assurance from experts that this (COVID-19) is already endemic. If it is endemic already… so that parents can weigh the risks,” he said.
As of end June, more than 3.2 million children aged five to 11 years old have been fully vaccinated while more than 9.5 million 12 to 18 years old are fully vaccinated.
The DepEd, which oversees the basic education system or the education from kindergarten to grade 12, earlier said that more than 38,000 schools are ready for face-to-face classes in schoolyear 2022—2023 set to begin in August.
The lawmaker said he is glad that Duterte is leading the education department because she will be able to focus on areas that have to be prioritized in the education sector, especially since the quality of education has regressed because of the pandemic. — With Wendell Vigilia
