By Civ Alonzo-Cruz
The Department of Education (DepEd) said in the Talk to the People public briefing on Monday night (Dec. 27) that the implementation of in-person classes should continue amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to its successful pilot testing in selected schools nationwide.
In the public briefing, DepEd Sec. Leonor Briones expressed her optimism in continuing the face-to-face classes in the country, as the data turnout from the Department of Health (DOH) showed no transmission of COVID-19 virus from the participants of the pilot testing.
“We are proceeding to expand further the face-to-face implementation [of classes]. Our pilot effort has been very successful sa mga schools na in-open natin, public, private, international, as well as other types of school,” she said.
“Wala ni isang Covid incident [ang nai-report mula sa pilot face to face classes], walang serious incident of ill effects on the children. So we believe we can proceed [on the face to face implementation of classes],” she added.
Briones thanked President Duterte for allowing the education department to do the pilot testing of face-to-face classes in select public, private, and international schools around the country and the assessment of more schools that can be eligible for the expansion of the in-person classes.
“We thank you for allowing us to resume face-to-face classes, and we believe we can proceed as we continue the assessment of our schools,” Briones told the President.
Earlier, DepEd Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma said in a TV interview that the agency will move to its expansion phase by January 2022.
“This [expansion of face-to-face classes] will happen by the early part of next year. We are optimistic that we could start the expansion phase by January,” Garma said.
Amid the pandemic and the devastation brought by the Typhoon Odette in some parts of Visayas and Mindanao, Sec. Briones is still positive that the education department can overcome the challenges.
“We will continue, and we will endeavor to expand face-to-face classes. We survived two world wars, insurrections, revolutions, volcanic eruptions, floods, and all that, and schools continue to open. This [typhoon] Odette will not stop us from continuing,” she said.
The pilot testing of face-to-face classes started in select schools in the country on Nov. 15 and so far, a total of 272 public schools and 18 private schools have been conducting it.
Only Kindergarten to Grade 3, as well as Senior High School students, are participating in the ongoing face-to-face classes. -rir
