Nominated schools for F2F classes, now at 30%: DepEd

MANILA – The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Tuesday the number of schools being considered for progressive in-person classes has now reached 21,352 or around 30 percent of all schools in the country.

This figure included 20,811 public schools and 541 private schools, with a total of around 4,271,743 learners nationwide.

In a press briefing, the DepEd said the government is targeting to prepare all schools nationwide, with the help of the Department of Health (DOH) and local government units.

“It’s already around 30 percent of the total number of schools, the target since we already instructed all schools to undergo assessment, the target really is 100 percent as long as kahit na sila ay wala pa sa (even though they are not yet under) Alert level 1 and 2, as long as qualified na sila. So once their areas are declared already under Alert Levels 1 and 2, they can start,” DepEd Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma said.

Garma said if the alert level status escalates again in areas with qualified schools, classes will simply be temporarily suspended and not closed.

To date, nearly 200 areas nationwide are under Alert level 1 according to the DOH.

The DepEd earlier said before schools are allowed to hold in-person classes, they need to pass a risk assessment based on an area’s alert level status, the school’s capability to impose of health protocols, the coordination with LGUs, and the consent of the learners’ parents or guardians.

Online setup

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said in-person classes will not lead to the gradual removal of the online learning setup, saying hybrid approach would “prepare” learners for the advancing demands of the real world.

“Hindi namin binibitiwan ‘yung online, hindi namin binibitiwan ‘yung technology, kasi parehang development ‘yan (We are not letting go of online, we are not letting go of technology, because both are developments) … much of the world now conducts its business, its operation, its dealings with each other between and among humans, also online, kaya dapat kailangan prepared ang ating mga bata (that’s why it’s necessary for our children to be ready) for both. This is why we tend to describe our system as blended learning. We are not abandoning one for another,” she said.

Besides pursuing a blended learning setup, the DepEd said it is also looking into hiring learning support aids, or establishing support centers to improve the learners’ ability to comprehend, and not just read or memorize.

DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla stressed the need to profile the learners and cluster those needing intervention, given the gaps brought about by the school setup during a pandemic.

“Nung nawala ‘yung face-to-face at alam naman po natin na hindi na talaga nagkakaroon ng time na ‘yung teacher ay mabantayan ‘yung bata, kailangan maibalik ‘yun (We know that when the face-to-face [classes] were halted, teachers are unable to focus on children, we need to bring that back),” she said.