AFTER more than two years of blended learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of full face-to-face classes in public schools started smoothly yesterday, according to the Department of Education.
“Sa ngayon po, maayos naman po ang resumption ng ating classes so far (Right now, the resumption of classes is proceeding smoothly),” DepEd spokesperson Michael Tan Poa said, adding that according to regional directors, attendance was 100 percent.
Poa said in the National Capital Region alone, 94 percent of 827 public schools “are implementing 5-day in person classes.”
Poa said the DepEd central office is waiting for further updates from other regional offices but added they are confident no major hitches will affect the resumption of full in-person learning, noting that majority of public schools had been implementing face-to-face classes since last August when schoolyear 2022-2023 opened.
In the Cordillera region, however, 11 public schools will be allowed to continue implementing blended learning due to ongoing construction or repairs of facilities damaged by calamities. The region has around 379,000 grade and secondary school students.
The schools are the Abra National High School, Kias Elementary School, Roxas National High School and Rizal National High School in Baguio City, Tuding Elementary School, Alejo Pacalso National High School, Ampucao National High School, Ambangeg National High School, Loo National High School, Benguet National High School, and Natubleng National High School, all in Benguet province.
Aside from typhoon Paeng, the region was also affected by two earthquakes that hit Luzon in the last three months, with Abra as the epicenter. The first earthquake, a magnitude 7, rocked the region last July followed by a magnitude 6.4 tremor last October 25.
The DepEd gave students the freedom to choose whether they will use face masks on campus or in rooms. Poa said this is in line with Executive Order No.7 issued by President Marcos Jr. scrapping the mask mandate.
The order made the use of face masks optional outdoors and indoors, except for healthcare facilities, medical transport vehicles and public transportation.
Teachers Dignity Coalition national Chair Benjo Basas said DepEd should still allow public schools that are having difficulties complying with full in-person learning due to various reasons to continue implementing blended learning.
“Since August 22, our schools are gradually transitioning to full face-to-face classes. That is even if they are confronted with problems such as shortage in classrooms, teachers and non-teaching staff. We hope the DepEd will address these problems in the months ahead.
We expect the DepEd to still allow those schools that may have difficulty complying with the 100 percent in-person classes to continue blended learning,” Basas said.
Basas, a public school teacher in Caloocan City, said he would encourage his students to wear face masks in classrooms since it is their last protection against the COVID-19 virus.
He also said most public schools, particularly in urban areas, are congested and not well-ventilated, making physical distancing nearly impossible, while others lack water and sanitation facilities.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers said despite the DepEd’s rosy pronouncements, they have received reports that several schools are still not prepared to comply with full in-person classes due to various state of disrepairs of their classrooms that were affected by several calamities.
Among these, ACT said, are the Daanbantayan Central School, Camp Lapu Lapu National High School, Labangon Elementary School, all in Cebu, while students at the Aplaya National High School in Sta. Rosa, Laguna are using the science high school building currently under construction due to the shortage of learning spaces. ACT said the school has a student population of more than 4,000 divided in 63 sections but only has 21 instructional classrooms.
In Quezon City, DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Jenilyn Rose Corpuz said 10 out of 158 schools in the city could not implement full face-to-face classes yet due to lack of classrooms. Among them is the Batasan National High School with a student population of 18,700.
Poa said there are some schools in NCR and Calabarzon where classroom and teacher shortage are still a problem.
Earlier, Poa said DepEd will allow public schools to use blended learning provided they get approval from their respective regional directors.
Private schools are still allowed to continue implementing online or blended learning.
