MORE than 1,600 private schools in the Philippines were shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2022, Philippine Vice-President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio said.
After a significant decrease in 2020 due to Covid-19-related school closures, she said in a speech that enrollment has started to recover.
This year, she said, around 28.4 million students enrolled in 44,931 public schools and 12,162 private schools across the country.
“But recovery in enrollment is limited only to public schools. We saw the decline of enrollment in private schools and, eventually, some private schools terminating operations,” Duterte-Carpio added.
The Philippines imposed hard lockdowns in March 2020 to curb the fast-speeding Covid-19 global infection. Like in many other countries, the country’s education system has experienced unprecedented disruptions.
With nearly 74 million people vaccinated against Covid-19, the Philippines gradually opened schools again last year. Technology has enabled distance learning.
“After two years of intermittent distance learning during the pandemic, schools reopened for face-to-face classes last August.
“Such a return is vital to preventing further productivity losses that can weaken our future workforce,” National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan earlier said.
With these socioeconomic gains, he added that the Philippines is on the road to fully recovering from the economic scarring brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Also, with children back in school, parents are able to pursue more income opportunities,” Balisacan said. — Xinhua
