Following the recommendation of health experts, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday, Nov. 9, said that students who will participate in the pilot face-to-face classes will not be subjected to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing.
In a virtual press briefing on the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes to start on Nov. 15, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones explained that COVID-19 testing - which usually involves swabbing for samples - might be “traumatic” for learners, especially for the young ones.
“It's not the most pleasant experience,” Briones said. “The trauma may be with them for some time,” she added.
Based on the guidelines issued by DepEd on the conduct of pilot face-to-face classes, only students from select grade levels will be allowed to participate.
In particular, only 12 pupils will be allowed to attend limited face-to-face classes in Kindergarten.
In Grades 1 to 3, DepEd only allows 16 students to participate in the pilot run.
For Senior High School (SHS) who are under the technical vocational (tec-voc), only 12 students will be allowed to attend laboratory classes.
In the same briefing, DepEd Assistant Secretary for Field Operations Malcolm Garma also noted that learners will not be subjected to COVID-19 testing.
“We really cannot imagine the small children undergoing the swab test,” Garma said. “It's very traumatic,” he added.
The children who will be part of DepEd’s pilot face-to-face classes are aged five to eight at the elementary level. “Even for us, adults, it's difficult,” he added.
Garma, however, clarified the the decision not to allow children to undergo COVID-19 testing was recommended by the Department of Health (DOH).
“The answer of DOH is really a ‘no’,” he added.
Instead of subjecting them to COVID-19 testing, Garma said that concerned school personnel will rely on symptoms among children who will participate in the pilot run.
“They will not be subjected to swab or antigen testing but we will rely on symptoms,” Garma said, noting that the school personnel will constantly monitor the condition of the students.
“If children exhibit symptoms, the usual protocol of isolating and contact tracing will be undertaken,” Garma explained in a mix of English and Filipino.
As part of the preparations for the pilot face-to-face classes, DepEd said that the participating schools were asked to retrofit their facilities to ensure that minimum health protocols will be observed.
For instance, participating schools such as Tamulaya Elementary School in Polillo Island installed plastic barriers in their classrooms. This, Garma said, will help provide “additional layer of protection” for the students and teachers who will attend the limited face-to-face classes.
Garma said that all learners and school personnel who will join the pilot run will be required to wear face masks at all times.
When it comes to wearing face shields during face-to-face classes, Garma said that DepEd will wait for the recommendation from the DOH.
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