SIXTY schools in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) were initially identified for the Department of Education’s (DepEd's) plan to conduct pilot face-to-face classes in select schools in "low-risk" areas in the country for the whole month of January 2021.
Estela Cariño, DepEd-CAR regional director, during a press conference on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, said 10 schools each in Abra, Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Tabuk City were initially identified for the limited face-to-face learning.
The regional director said the 60 schools are not yet final and their offices are given until December 18 to submit their final recommendation.
Cariño added the central office of DepEd will then release the approved schools for face-to-face learning.
She said schools in Baguio City and Benguet province have yet to submit their list of schools for the "pilot" limited face-to-face learning.
“Our purpose is to give assistance to learners who are in need, in need academically or even psychologically,“ she said. “We will also be monitoring for a month. We need to see to it we know what is happening, we give assistance in case something happens.”
Cariño added the identified schools are located in low-risk areas where there are no Covid-19 cases.
The 60 schools have been recommended by the local government unit, and learners must be on the same barangay, the education department said.
Cariño added there should also be approval from the parents of the learners participating in the conduct of pilot face-to-face classes.
On December 14, President Rodrigo Duterte has approved DepEd’s plan to conduct pilot face-to-face classes in select schools in "low-risk" areas.
"The Palace informs that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the Cabinet approved during tonight’s Cabinet meeting December 14, 2020, the conduct of pilot implementation or dry run of face-to-face classes in select schools within areas with low Covid-risk for the whole month of January 2021 as proposed by the Department of Education," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a statement Monday.
Roque said the DepEd will coordinate with the Covid-19 National Task Force (NTF) for the monitoring of the conduct of the pilot implementation.
Cariño also determined that health protocols are important for the conduct of the pilot implementation, adding students must wear face masks and face shields.
"Learners must be disciplined. After classes, they must go straight to their homes and refrain from playing on the school grounds,” she stated.
The DepEd-CAR official added there should be one entrance and exit, alcohol, checking of body temperature and quarantine area in the school. (With a report from SunStar Philippines)