ILOILO – Some 119 elementary and secondary schools in the province have been “nominated” to take part in the pilot run of face-to-face classes in January next year.
Twenty-two local government units (LGUs) made the recommendation to the Department of Education. The dry run is from Jan. 11 to 23, according to Leonil Salvilla, information officer of the Schools Division of Iloilo.
He, however, did not name these LGUs pending the final list of nominated schools, which will be announced by DepEd’s central office by end of the month.
“Sang nagligad nga semana naka-submit kita sang listahan sang mga schools as recommended by their LGUs and municipal mayors to participate in the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes,” Salvilla said.
The agency will still evaluate whether these schools complied with requirements and ready to conduct limited classroom instruction.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier approved DepEd’s recommendation to conduct a dry run of face-to-face or in-person classes in areas under modified general community quarantine or categorized as low risk forf coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) transmission.
According to Education undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan, actual classes would be conducted during the dry run but these face-to-face sessions would only supplement students’ learning via modules, online classes, television and radio.
The participation in the dry run is voluntary and would require permission on the part of the learners’ parents.
“This won’t be done with full scheduled classes. This means it will only complement distance learning. Students will follow a schedule on when they will go to schools,” he said.
Among the students that may participate in the dry run are senior high school students under the technical-vocational-livelihood track and learners who find it difficult to learn by themselves at home.
DepEd would be working closely with the Department of Health, Department of Interior and Local Government, COVID-19 Task Force, LGUs, and parents to ensure the safety of students participating in the dry run.
Participating schools also need to meet health protocols such as proper ventilation, and availability of facemasks, face shields, and hand washing facilities.
The education official said parents would be asked to ensure the safety of learners at home, and as they travel to and from the school.
A referral protocol with the LGU and local health unit is also required in case someone in the school tests positive for COVID-19, he added.
“For schools, there must be a well-documented report of readiness, including risk classification, documentation of acknowledgment of shared responsibility, students and classroom management plan, and health standard requirements at home, during travel, and in school premises,” DepEd said.
“Once selected, the participating schools, LGUs, learners, and parents will undergo a thorough process of orientation, mobilization, and readiness confirmation before the actual implementation,” the agency added.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), meanwhile, urged government to address the lack of water facilities, clinics and nurses in schools with the plan to hold pilot testing of in-person classes.
“Our teachers and learners cannot be saved by facemasks, alcohol and physical distancing alone. We are dealing with active children here. The best protection for them is a safe, preventive and pandemic-responsive learning environment,” said ACT Secretary General Raymond Basilio.
Duterte earlier said in-person classes would remain prohibited unless a vaccine against COVID-19 is available in the country. (With ABS-CBN News/PN)
