ILOILO – Five schools in this province have been identified as pilot areas for face-to-face classes should President Rodrigo Duterte order such.
According to Dr. Roel Bermejo, schools division superintendent of the Department of Education (DepEd) here, the five pilot areas are considered “low risk” for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
These are the schools:
* Tomas Confesor Memorial Elementary School in Barangay Tabucan, Cabatuan for the elementary level
* Granada National High School – Ballesteros Campus in Carles for junior high school
* Palanguia National High School in Barangay Palanguia, Pototan for senior high school
* Adgao-Tagpu-an-Ingay Integrated School in Tubungan for integrated school
* Cabacanan Elementary School in Alimodian for Indigenous Peoples education
Only one grade level would be required to report to school for each of these, Bermejo clarified.
Minimum health and safety protocols such as the wearing of facemasks and face shields and social distancing would be observed, he added.
Meanwhile, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. said the provincial government, through the Iloilo Provincial School Board (IPSB), supports the DepEd’s decision to identify these schools.
The governor will convene the IPSB for updates on the projects being implemented in the schools, including water system, toilets and wash areas.
If a full implementation of the face-to-face classes would be allowed, Defensor said there should be adequate hand washing areas.
On Monday, Duterte again rejected DepEd’s proposal for a pilot implementation of face-to-face classes; only after the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines would this be done, he stressed./PN