Outgoing NEDA chief, inulit ang pangangailangan para sa “full resumption” ng face-to-face classes

MULING inulit ni Outgoing Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick  Chua ang panawagan  na  “fully resume” ang  face-to-face classes.

Nagpahayag ng kumpiyansa si Chua  na maipatutupad  ito ng  incoming administration.

Sa virtual briefing, sinabi ni Chua na ang education sector ay  “significantly lagged behind”, pagdating sa full resumption ng face-to-face classes  na hindi pa naipatutupad.

“As you know, the NEDA mandate covers development and for us, education is a foundation of development, so I hope this will be taken very seriously,” ayon kay Chua sa kanyang last briefing bilang hepe ng  National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“The repercussions on children’s present and future development are very much affected by the ability to learn better,” pagpapatuloy nito.

Nitong Marso, sinabi ni Chua  na ang nationwide face-to-face learning  ay makadaragdag ng P12 bilyong piso  kada linggo sa ekonomiya,  ang ekonomiya kasi ay  nawalan ng  P22 trilyong piso sa nakalipas na dalawang taon matapos na ihinto ang face-to-face learning sa bansa.

Samantala, nakatakda namang i- turn over ni Chua ang kanyang tungkulin bilang NEDA chief sa kasalukuyang  Philippine Competition Commission na si  Chairperson Arsenio Balisacan —  na namumuno sa ahensiya sa ilalim ng administrasyon ng namayapa at dating Pangulong Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III — araw ng Biyernes, Hulyo 1.

Sinabi ni Chua na tinalakay na niya ang kanyang panawagan para sa  full resumption sa face-to-face classes kay outgoing Education Secretary Leonor Briones at outgoing Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.

“I have personally wrote Secretary Briones and Secretary Duque twice — in March and in May, and we have had many discussions in the IATF and through messages,”  anito.

“These have been communicated and I hope it will be part of the transition message or notes of Secretary Briones to incoming Vice President and (Education) Secretary (Sara) Duterte,” dagdag na pahayag ni Chua.

Nakatakda namang mag-take over si VP Sara Department of Education, kasabay ng kanyang tungkulin bilang bise-presidente, at nag-commit na tingnan ang posibilidad na “fully resume”  ang face-to-face classes.

Matapos ang i-turn over ang kanyang tungkulin, nakatakdang  mag-aral ng isang taon si Chua. Hindi naman dinetalye ni Chua ang kanyang “future plans”.

“No offer (from the incoming administration), but I have already enrolled to study in a week’s time, full-time study to be relevant,” aniya pa rin.