The Department of Education (DepEd) released Tuesday the list of 20 private schools – identified as low risk for COVID-19 – that willparticipate in the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes starting November 22.
Private schools in Metro Manila were not included as the Department of Health (DOH) has said the number of COVID-19 infections and the health care utilization rate of the National Capital Region must go down to be classified as low or minimal risk first.
The private schools chosen by DepEd and the DOH are:
Region I (Ilocos Region) – 100 islands Cowboy Christian Learning Center (Alaminos City) and Our Saviour's Foundation (Laoag City).
Region III (Central Luzon) – Mother of Good Counsel Seminary (San Fernando City), Academica de Meridien (Zambales), and Singapore School Park (Angeles City).
Region VI (Western Visayas) – St. Anthony's College (Antique), Oxmont Memorial Academy (Iloilo), and Gamot Cogon Waldorf School Inc. (Iloilo).
Region VII (Central Visayas) – Sisters of Mary Schools Inc. Boystown (Cebu Province).
Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) – Notre Dame of Abuyog (SHS TVL) (Leyte) and Mt. Moriah Christian Academy (Ormoc City).
Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) – Metro Dipolog Baptist Academy (Dipolog City).
Region X (Northern Mindanao) – Deor & Dune Academe of Technology (SHS TVL) (Oroquieta City), St. Paul's Institute of Technology (SHS TVL) (Iligan City), and Xavier University Senior High School (SHS TVL) (Cagayan de Oro City).
Region XI (Davao Region) – Ato Padada Christian School (Davao del Sur).
Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN) – BEST College of Polomolok (SHS TVL) South Cotabato, Banga Evangelical Church Elementary School, Inc. (South Cotabato), and Midsayap Montessori Centre (South Cotabato).
CARAGA – New Moriah Adventist Elementary School (Bayugan City).
Meanwhile, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said the first day of the pilot testing of face-to-face classes in several areas went "very, very successful."
According to Briones, 97 out of the 100 public schools proceeded with the pilot run.
"We consider it very, very successful," Briones said during the Laging Handa briefing.
"Everyone was so excited. The students were probably the most excited, because they would see their fellow students and they wanted to visit the schools … It's a wonderful day for everyone.”
She mentioned the incident where the pilot face-to-face classes werepostponed in three schools in Zambales after three teachers tested positive for COVID-19 in their antigen tests.
"We deferred the three schools after some of the teachers tested positive. This is an opportunity for us to intensify our emergency measures into the challenges. That is the purpose of the pilot [classes]," Briones said in Filipino.
"By next week, by November 22, the 100 schools are complete. Right now, the three teachers are on repeat tests [for COVID], we are very confident that the three schools will proceed," she added.
Briones said President Rodrigo Duterte was leaving it up to the DepEd and the DOH to decide on the expansion of the coverage of the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes.
During the Laging Handa briefing, Education Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo said they would further assess the pilot run of face-to-face classes in 100 schools before it could be implemented in Metro Manila.
In the Senate, Senator Win Gatchalian is pushing for regular COVID-19 tests for teachers after having witnessed Monday’s start of the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes.
Two schools in Zambales postponed the opening of in-person classes because seven teachers from both schools tested positive for the coronavirus disease after taking rapid antigen tests.
“We must think of doing regular COVID-19 testing for our teachers. We also need to monitor their vaccination," said Gatchalian, chair of the Senate committee on basic education.
To minimize risks, he cited the need to test. Because of this, testing of teachers should be funded.
"If there's someone positive, there should be ready support for them," said Gatchalian during his visit to schools that are participating in the dry run of in-person learning.
To ensure the immediate provision of financial aid for teachers who test positive for COVID-19, he urged the DepEd to work with the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) in creating a special lane at the very least for teachers.
Gatchalian reiterated this would ease the burden on teachers falling ill with COVID-19 since they have to spend out of pocket first before receiving reimbursements from the state insurer.
While Gatchalian observed during his visit that school officials and teachers are prepared, he also emphasized the need to provide financial support to schools to ensure adequacy of public health supplies and facilities for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
The lawmaker has been pushing to make the safe reopening of schools a priority in DepEd’s 2022 national budget.