SIXTY more public schools from 10 regions in the country have been tapped to join the pilot run of limited face-to-face classes set to start on November 15, bringing the total to 90, according to Education Secretary Leonor Briones.
“Right now, we have identified 90 public schools to push through face-to-face learning.
These schools are now ready to start the pilot of physical learning”, Briones said in a statement.
Out of the 90, 14 are in CARAGA, 10 each in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Vally and Eastern Visayas while the rest are in Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region, Northern Mindanao, Calabarzon, and Soccsksargen.
Briones said the ultimate target of the DepEd is to tap at least 100 public schools to participate in the pilot test.
She said the DepEd is now preparing to conduct the necessary training and orientation for parents, local government units, students, school personnel and partners, and school inspections that will be part of the pilot run.
Last September 20, President Duterte approved the pilot run of limited face-to-face classes in areas with low COVID cases upon the recommendation of the DepEd, which initially said the pilot testing will involve 100 public and 20 private schools.
Briones said the agency is still in the process of identifying 20 private schools that will be tapped for the pilot run of face-to-face classes on November 22.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said the government should allow private schools to resume face-to-face classes since they have more capability to do so as compared to public schools.
“Let’s allow private schools because they have the luxury of space and they’re willing to put in the investment to make their schools safe…I’ve talked to a lot of private schools and they’re ready to invest and ready to open,” Gatchalian, the Senate basic education committee chairman, said in an interview with ANC.
The DepEd had earlier identified 100 public and 20 private schools for the pilot face-to-face classes, but later said that only 59 public schools were given the green light by authorities.
The number went down further to 30 as 29 schools were not allowed by their respective LGUs and the parents to join the pilot run.
Briones reiterated that the main criteria for the schools to qualify for the pilot run is that the LGUs must agree and allow the pilot face-to-face classes in the schools in their area; the facilities of the DepEd and the schools are ready and conducive for the pilot face-to-face classes such as the right distancing among students during class, the availability of water and medicines, among others; and the consent of parents to allow their children to participate. — With Jocelyn Montemayor and Raymond Africa
