Unless a vaccine for Covid-19 is available for all, the proposed face-to-face classes are still not feasible, even in low-risk areas like the small town of Adams, Ilocos Norte, according to its residents.

Pamela Tarnate Domingsil, a mother of two children in Grades III and IV in Adams Elementary School, said in an interview Tuesday that it is her right to ensure the protection of her children against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

The smallest town of Adams in Ilocos Norte, still Covid-free, has been proposed as a pilot site for face-to-face classes in the province.

The town’s 269 elementary pupils and 254 high school students have been on homeschooling since October with the use of purely modular learning.

Like most of the towns and cities of Ilocos Norte which adopted printed modular learning, the teachers, parents, and learners have already realized both its advantages and disadvantages.

Schools in Ilocos Norte are running out of bond papers and ink, and even lacking in printers, but its public and private stakeholders are trying to come up with solutions to ensure learning continues despite the continuing threat of Covid-19.

Ilocos Norte Schools Division Superintendent Joann A. Corpuz said the province is pushing for gadget-based learning to save on paper and the environment.

But as gadgets and internet connectivity are still a problem for most students, the Department of Education (DepEd) continues to provide printed module materials for them.

“Printed modular learning is costly but we cannot risk the lives of our children,” said Domingsil alluding to the proposed back to classroom classes.

Several parents and guardians who took part in an online survey in Ilocos Norte were uncomfortable sending their children back to school until the national health crisis is under control.

For a 10-year-old pupil at the Ilocos Norte National High School, he said he would rather study at home. “I don’t feel safe outside,” he said.

To help the schools, the provincial government has been distributing high-speed printers, computers, and tablets to aid in the current distance learning program of DepEd. (PNA)