By Regina Elaine Vendivil

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the pilot run of limited face-to-face classes in 120 schools located in low-risk areas for COVID-19, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing on Monday, September 20, 2021.

This includes a maximum of 100 public schools that passed the “readiness assessment” in areas classified as “minimal risk”, along with 20 private schools jointly validated by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DOH).

Currently, the list of participating schools in the trial run has yet to be released by DepEd. 

According to Harry Roque, the limited face-to-face classes will only be half-day and will be conducted every other week. 

“Ito po ay hindi lang issue ng edukasyon. Ito po ay issue na rin ng mental health at ekonomiya,” said Roque.

Additionally, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said that the teachers in the identified schools are ready for the face-to-face classes as a “significant number of teachers” are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

The pilot test of limited face-to-face classes in 120 schools will be done for the following grade levels:

• Kindergarten: 12 students (3 hours maximum)
• Grades 1 to 3: 16 students (3 hours maximum)
• Technical-vocational students in 5 senior high schools: 20 students (4 hours maximum)

Briones also explained that there is “no definite date” yet when the dry run will start as this will depend on the readiness of the participating schools. 

“The pilot run of limited face-to-face classes is a shared responsibility of the DepEd, Department of Health, with the approval of IATF, and the local government units themselves and the parents. This will be monitored for two months,” Briones said.

Before the approval, the Philippines was included in the last two countries in the world, along with Venezuela, that have yet to reopen schools since March 2020—when the World Health Organization first declared the COVID-19 pandemic.

References:

Hernando-Malipot, M. (2021, September 20). DepEd welcomes approval of limited face-to-face classes amid the pandemic. Manila Bulletin. Retrieved from https://mb.com.ph/2021/09/20/deped-welcomes-approval-of-limited-face-to-face-classes-amid-the-pandemic/ 

Magsambol, B. (2021d, September 20). Duterte approves limited face-to-face classes in 120 schools. Rappler. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/nation/duterte-approves-pilot-run-limited-face-to-face-classes-school-year-2021-2022

CNN Philippines Staff. (2021e, September 20). Duterte OKs pilot testing of face-to-face classes in low-risk areas for COVID-19. CNN Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.ph/news/2021/9/20/Duterte-OKs-pilot-testing-face-to-face-classes-.html 

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