MANILA, Philippines – Would you enroll your children in school in the middle of a raging pandemic?

Remote enrollment for basic education started Monday, June 1, as the Department of Education (DepEd) looks into alternative learning modes for the opening of classes on August 24.

Much debate has surrounded DepEd’s decision, as they aimed to make adjustments for the upcoming school year to prioritize the safety and well-being of students and teachers during the coronavirus pandemic.

DepEd has recently looked into implementing a distance learning approach for classes in a move to make education more accessible to students from all kinds of backgrounds. (READ: No student left behind? During pandemic, education ‘only for those who can afford’)

The department also entertained the idea of homeschooling as an alternative learning mode, where qualified parents, guardians, and tutors will facilitate home-based learning.

A number of parents and other Filipinos were more comfortable with DepEd’s distance learning approach and were willing to adapt to alternative learning methods in order to prioritize their children’s health and safety.

However, despite DepEd providing alternative learning approaches for students, other Filipino parents were still apprehensive about enrolling their children for the upcoming school year.

A number of Filipinos were firm on not sending children to school until a vaccine for the coronavirus disease is available. This reflected President Rodrigo Duterte’s position, as he rejected DepEd’s move to open classes in August for the same reason.

Other Filipinos appreciated DepEd’s efforts to provide alternatives for students with no access to internet and other resources, but questioned the feasibility of making such adjustments, such as providing printed materials and facilitating home-based learning for students without qualified tutors or parents.

Here’s what other people are saying about the issue:

Enrollment for SY 2020-21 – Curated tweets by rapplerdotcom

What do you think about the issue? Let us know in the comments! – Rappler.com