DepEd: 'Progressive expansion' of face-to-face classes may start on February 9
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) gave the green light to all its regional offices to begin the progressive expansion of limited in-person classes in public and private schools from February 9 onwards, days after the government lowered the COVID-19 alert levels in several areas.
In a statement on Wednesday evening, the agency said that regional directors must consider the following factors in deciding whether a school is prepared for face-to-face classes:
- Compliance with the standards of the School Safety Assessment Tool or SSAT.
- Located in areas placed under Alert Levels 1 and 2, based on the regular assessment of the Health department.
- Capacity of the school to handle several grade levels.
- Has sought the concurrence of the local chief executive in the city or municipality where the expansion school is located; coordinated with barangay officials.
- Secured written consent from the parents of students participating in face-to-face classes.
- Has the flexibility to complete teaching and learning sessions, and hold a managed recess period within the "contact time" provided.
- Only allows vaccinated teachers to participate in the face-to-face classes.
DepEd said the original 28 pilot schools in the National Capital Region are set to resume limited in-person classes on February 9, while the expansion schools in the region will "progressively" start their classes from Feb. 9 onwards.
Twelve schools in Batanes (Cagayan Valley) will implement expanded face-to-face classes next week, while 106 schools in Bulacan (Central Luzon) will begin classes on Feb. 21.
The agency said that 57 schools from eight areas in Calabarzon and 16 schools from Eastern Visayas are slated to participated in the progressive expansion of face-to-face classes on Feb. 14.
"[Other regions and divisions] are continuing their preparations for the expanded phase of face-to-face classes in anticipation of improvement in the COVID alert level in their respective areas," DepEd said.
Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte approved DepEd's proposal to begin the progressive expansion of in-person classes.
Metro Manila, Batanes, Bulacan, Cavite and Rizal are under Alert Level 2, the same status the country was placed under before the surge due to the highly-infectious Omicron variant, began in late December.
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