Limited face-to-face classes will begin Nov. 15 starting with 59 public schools, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday.
Based on the list released by DepEd, four schools are from Luzon, 15 from Visayas, and 40 from Mindanao.
At a Senate hearing, Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said the pilot test of face-to-face classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic was timed with the start of the second quarter of the school year, and would last until Dec. 22.
The in-person classes would then be assessed and the pilot study would end on Jan. 31, 2022.
The department would then evaluate, identify more schools for the expansion of the pilot run, inspect sites and conduct dry runs and present their expansion plans to President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2022.
If the proposal is approved, the expanded pilot run of face-to-face classes would begin on March 7, 2022.
With the Philippines one of the last countries to keep schools closed during the pandemic, the President approved limited face-to-face classes in September in areas with a low risk of COVID-19 infection.
The pilot would involve 100 public schools and 20 private schools, covering Kindergarten to Grade 3 students.
The DepEd announced an initial 59 public schools from 638 nominated schools.
The department said it would provide “a rolling assessment” every Monday to increase the number of participating schools to 120.
In a statement, the DepEd and the Department of Health said they would work with local government units, school officials, community stakeholders and participating teachers and students in ensuring the safe operation of the pilot test of face-to-face classes.
“Our responsibility for DepEd is to secure areas, the local government units who have given their consent and are prepared to cooperate, the permission of parents, and also the readiness of our own facilities in DepEd for limited face-to-face learning. On the other hand, the Department of Health will assess the health side readiness of the school,” Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said.
The departments said the pilot would focus on four areas: 1) safe operations, 2) teaching and learning, 3) including the most marginalized, and 4) wellbeing and protection.
Under Safe Operations, a maximum of 120 schools (95 elementary schools, five senior high schools, and 20 private schools) will be chosen for the pilot. These schools must be located at minimal risk areas and passed the School Safety Assessment Tool. LGUs must also express their support with a resolution or letter allowing the conduct of the pilot run in the community.
Participating learners must submit signed consent from their parents, and preferably near the school and without existing comorbidities.
Teachers and school staff who will directly interact with learners in the pilot run, meanwhile, must be fully vaccinated.
For the Teaching and Learning standards, blended learning will be applied alternately, one week face-to-face and another week distance learning. Class sizes must only be 12 learners for Kinder; 16 for Grades 1 to 3; 20 for Senior High School (SHS); and 12 SHS in TVL workshops/Science laboratories, with a maximum of 4.5 hours stay in school, except for Kindergarten, with a maximum of three hours.
To guarantee the wellbeing and protection of learners and personnel, schools must have a physical distancing-compliant classroom layout and structure, safe school traffic management, protective measures and safety procedures, psychological support, and contingency plans
