THE Department of Education (DepEd) 7 is still awaiting a final list from its central office on which of the 52 public schools in Central Visayas earlier recommended to participate in the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes amid the Covid-19 pandemic would actually be allowed to do so.
DepEd 7 Director Salustiano Jimenez also clarified, in an interview with SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, that they cannot force parents to send their children to school for those allowed to do face-to-face classes.
However, he assured that DepEd will implement and observe all the health and safety protocols set by authorities to ensure the safety of both the students and teachers.
The DepEd Central Office on Monday, Sept. 20, announced that President Rodrigo Duterte already approved the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas.
“We are now awaiting the final list from the Office of the Secretary. Then once it’s available, we will finalize also our validation (process) because it does not follow that if it is included in the list (it is automatic already). If upon checking, we find that the Covid-19 cases in that area have suddenly increased, then we will not push through with the face-to-face classes there,” he told SunStar Cebu in a mix of English and Cebuano.