MALACANANG has entrusted the decision on how and when to expand the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes to the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DOH).
Education Secretary Leonor Briones said parents, students, and school authorities can expect the decision-making process to move faster now after the Office of the President approved the recommendations from the two agencies to be given a free hand in guiding and assessing additional schools to join the resumption of limited face-to-face lessons.
She made the announcement yesterday during the public briefing “Laging Handa.”
“The President has instructed our two departments to decide the extent of expanding the pilot implementation. And eventually, our aspiration is that by 2022 …by the next academic school year or next year …we can cover schools in the whole country,” she said.
Briones added that 12 private schools could also hold limited face-to-face classes subject to assessment by DOH officials.
“We have selected a list which we have referred to the Department of Health. The same screening would be applied to international schools… they would have to be cleared after risk assessments. That remains the paramount consideration for us, the health of the children of course, our teachers,” she said.
DepEd Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma said the private schools that have expressed interest to join the pilot run of face-to-face classes are refining their last-minute preparations to obtain DOH clearances.
He said the private schools can seek assistance from DepEd to help ascertain that their health protocols and hygiene facilities in place are compliant with the standards required by the DOH.
Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo said the start of face-to-face classes in Metro Manila schools would depend on the outcome of the pilot run in other areas.
“While the aim is to eventually have a pilot testing in all regions, we hope to glean enough information from our first 100 schools in the pilot face-to-face classes. We can use this to build up on how to expand the scope once mayors in the National Capital Region request for pilot test for each of their cities,” Garma said.
Briones also said the three public schools in Zambales that deferred the opening of F2F classes after some of their teachers tested positive for COVID-19 will finally begin classes today, Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Ilocos Regional Police Office apologized for the deployment of heavily-armed policemen at a public school in Pangasinan on Monday.
Regional Police Director Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Peralta expressed his apology to the DepEd even as he ordered a probe on the deployment made by the Alaminos City police station.
Peralta said policemen were sent to the Longos Central Elementary School in Barangay Pangapisan to ensure observance of minimum public health standards.
Photos in news and social media showed heavily-armed cops inside the school, in violation of the DepEd’s National Policy Framework on Learners and Schools as Zones of Peace.
PNP chief Dionardo Carlos said there is nothing wrong with policemen carrying weapons in the vicinity of schools.
“They are identified policemen, they have their IDs, they have their nameplates. I don’t think there is something wrong with them carrying the firearms,” said Carlos.
If the policemen were carrying the firearms in a manner that is against “proper decorum,” Carlos said “then there is something wrong.” — With Victor Reyes and Noel Talacay
