Philippine Kids Go Back To School After Two Years

MANILA, Philippines (AP) – Millions of students wearing face masks have streamed back to schools across the Philippines in their first in-person classes after two years of coronavirus lockdowns that are feared to have worsened one of the world’s most alarming illiteracy rates among children. Officials grappled with daunting problems, including classroom shortages, an approaching storm and quake-damaged school buildings in the country’s north, to welcome back on Monday more than 27 million students who enrolled for the school year. The Department of Education said some schools would have to split classes up to three shifts a day due to classroom shortages and to avoid overcrowding that could turn schools into new epicenters of coronavirus outbreaks.