The Department of Education (DepEd) is looking at August 23 as the possible start of school year 2021-2022.
In a Laging Handa public briefing on Thursday (May 20), DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said the department’s first option is still August 23 for the opening of classes. However, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones will also present other dates to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte for his approval.
“Kahapon lang po nag-management committee meeting ang ating Secretary Liling Briones sa lahat ng ating mga regional directors, bureau and service directors, at mayroon po kaming mga options and proposal na within the law, kung ano po iyong binibigay sa batas.
“So ang una pong option natin ay ang unang lumabas, iyong August 23, at mayroon pa rin po kaming iba pang mga dates na ipi-present po ni Secretary sa ating Presidente,” Sevilla said.
According to Sevilla, the department will not conduct face-to-face classes if the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will not allow its implementation.
“Hindi po tayo magbabalik sa face-to-face na educational learning delivery system kung hindi po ito papayagan ng ating IATF, ng ating protocol for DOH [Department of Health], and of course the President,” she said.
Sevilla assured that education will continue even without face-to-face learning.
“Pero magtutuloy po ang pag-aaral, dahil nagawa na po natin ito ng isang school year, ito po iyong blended delivery approach. At kung hindi man tayo magpi- face-to-face, diri-diretso pa rin tayo. Itutuloy natin iyong tinatawag natin na self-learning modules, online through the DepEd TV, DepEd Radio, at iba pa pong mga approaches on delivery.”
Meanwhile, the department confirmed that teachers and school workers are now part of the A4 category on the vaccination priority list. However, no final decision has been made on the inclusion of students in that category.
(PTV News)/NGS-jlo
