President Rodrigo Duterte is supporting the proposal of Department of Education (DepEd) to hold limited face-to-face classes in areas of the country that is classified as low risk for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In a recorded address aired Tuesday morning, Education Secretary Leonor Briones reported to the President that some local government units, lawmakers, private, and international schools have suggested the conduct of face-to-face learning in these areas.
“For basic education, we are saying maybe we can allow limited face to face learning but to be strictly regulated in the light of present conditions,” Briones said.
Briones mentioned Siquijor, Dinagat Islands, Siargao and other areas “who probably have zero level and local governments now declared as low risk.”
“I’m with you on this. Let’s try to make ourselves productive even how constricted the times are. Okay ako,” Duterte said.
According to Briones, limited face-to-face classes will only be done in areas with low-risk assessment and compliant with health requirements of DepEd and Department of Health (DOH). Also, school rooms should not be cramped so that physical distancing could be implemented.
The LGU should also be willing to support the financial needs in the implementation.
The classes will not be done the whole week and limited only to the most important lessons that students should learn.
Deped is looking to start it in January 2021 after a stringent assessment of schools and go-signal of DepEd, LGU and local health authorities. National Task Force against COVID-19 and Deped officials will have pilot testing and joint inspection in these schools.
