In 2021, the Philippines became the last country in the world to open its classrooms to children again.
For most of the year, the Department of Education continued its remote learning system from 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic first struck. This, despite criticism from various stakeholders about how the system wasThe Duterte government had always claimed that the decision to keep schools closed was in the best interest of the children, as COVID-19 vaccines were not available to the youth for most of the year.College students, meanwhile, were allowed to return to their classrooms earlier.
The year also started with a bang for academic freedom. Students and alumni of certain institutions were caught up in President Rodrigo Duterte’s ongoing crackdown on progressive groups. Schools and universities were red-tagged.From distance learning to limited face-to-face classes Multiple times, President Duterte rejected the return to face-to-face classes. 2021 saw the second school opening under the distance learning system.