“The National Union of Students of the Philippines NCR (NUSP NCR) and College of Editors Guild of the Philippines NCR (CEGP NCR) called on President Rodrigo Duterte and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to cancel online classes for the duration of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon,” said the joint statement released by the group on March 17.
Classes were cancelled in Metro Manila initially from March 10-14 following confirmation of the COVID-19 local transmission in the country. Schools were then advised to hold online classes. Duterte announced a general community quarantine in NCR on March 12 and extended the suspension of classes until April 12, and it was again extended to April 14.
“Consultations with various student councils and organizations and reports from students showed that students found it difficult if not impossible to adapt to online classes presented given little or no preparations for this change,” said the groups in their joint statement.
Given the reports gathered, NUSP NCR and CEGP NCR said they call on the suspension of online classes for the following reasons:
- Not all students have access to gadgets and stable internet connection that are both essential for the online/distance learning scheme.
- Many students went home to their respective province where there is little or no connectivity following the announcement of the weeklong suspension of classes or they have no access to internet.
- With regards to the enhanced community quarantine, computer shops are not accessible for students to use in order for them to catch up with their studies.
- Due to financial constraint, the students’ families budget their money only to buy the necessities for the month-long quarantine and internet connection or even limited data access are additional expenses.
- In lieu of No. 4, students have only limited access when it comes to stable WiFi or Internet connection. Hence, some would rely on prepaid load considering the average cost of P50 for an Internet promo.
- The mode and ways of teaching varied, more so in the online learning scheme, which often led to the students and teachers unable to understand each other well.
- Some schools have no proper guidelines upon imposing policies especially to students who did not comply with the requirements that needed to be submitted online.
- Some schools do not have learning management systems or open universities in order to fully plan, implement, and access specific learning processes
- While some were given maximum consideration by teachers, some students were given time to submit the requirements by the time class resumes. However, they will be rushing their studies along with complying with the requirements.
Experiences on the sudden shift to online classes
During the period of class cancellations, memes and anecdotes of online class experience were shared online, mostly found humorous due to the unfamiliarity of the method that had to be adopted suddenly due to the lockdown.
Some students reported heavier workload as some requirements had to be submitted in a multimedia format such as video. Some students reported being asked to take videos of their regular physical exercise at home for Physical education classes.
Some said there were more requirements or deadlines that seemingly were implemented to compensate for the lack of regular face-to-face interaction. A student of a Theology class in a Catholic private school said their class was required to write and submit daily prayers to their teacher.
Some also said earlier deadlines based on the school administration’s guidelines following the online classes scheme.
Some are being called to classes on irregular schedules, such as a late quiz announcement, that some are unable to comply because they have no data or were unable to buy load on time, or as many reports also said “they only have free Facebook” that came with the promos of their telco.
Some reported not being able to ask their instructors questions during lectures online or miscommunication between students and teachers in the conduct of online classes.
Health and security must be prioritized
The groups also worried that in order to comply with attending online classes and submitting requirements that students will be “compelled to circumvent the guidelines of the quarantine” lest they fail their classes. They also said that health and security of the students must be the topmost concern.
Kabataan Partylist NCR reported receiving a message from a concerned student from Trinity University of Asia asking that attention be called on the suspension of online classes. The student felt that “it is such as travesty to see the students fail because they don’t have stable internet connection or their own computers.”
Some students have aired their concerns and complaints to their respective school administrations, but some responded that they could or would not suspend online classes unless there is an order from CHED.
To that, NUSP NCR and CEGP NCR requested, “We asked that online classes be suspended with an order from the President or CHED that schools would need to comply, otherwise these classes would continue under these present difficulties.”
NUSP NCR also started a petition on March 17 to cancel online classes.
Since the statement and petition came out, the National Teachers College have suspended online classes.
The University of the Philippines system suspended online classes on March 17 following requests from students and student councils who aired similar difficulties.
Suspension of tuition payments
The groups also called on the president to “effect the suspension of tuition payments to ease the burden of the students and their families.”
“Some students have been stuck in their dorms, trying to fend for themselves while their families at home are doing the same. The enhanced community quarantine or total lockdown affected the livelihood and income of those in Luzon and of overseas Filipino workers—they are parents and families of students. We are all affected and we call for tuition payments to be suspended,” said Angelo Cocharo of NUSP NCR.
Following public clamor to address the socioeconomic effects of COVID-19 spread and the government’s declaration of ‘total lockdown’, Duterte in his March 16 address requested the ways the private sector help ease the burden of the people at this time: (1) release of 13th month pay, even only if pro-rated while people are on quarantine; (2) moratorium on rental fees for renters and tenants; and (3) one month reprieve on bills payments for basic utility providers.
The president’s requests do not include suspension of tuition payments. According to NUSP, students of a big private university in Manila have reported receiving notice or reminder for tuition payments.
NUSP Metro Manila said that according to Commission on Higher Education data, more than half of college students in the whole country in 2018—1.69 million students of 3.2 million—are enrolled in private higher education institutions.
The whole of Luzon is now under ‘enhanced community quarantine’ from March 17 to April 12. The enhanced community quarantine being implemented means a total lockdown in the whole of Luzon, Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said on March 17.
