The Department of Education (DepEd) recognized the the support and cooperation by various stakeholders as it started the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes this week.
“Kitang-kita na ang paghahanda ay hindi gawain ng isang tao lamang kundi yung buong (We can see that the preparation is not the work of just one person but the entire) DepEd has been involved in this pilot implementation,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.
Briones noted that with the eventual pilot implementation of face-to-face classes, it is “encouraging to see the harmonious collaboration” between the schools, local government units (LGUs), and the communities.
One example cited by DepEd is the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Zambales in Region 3 which showcased the collaborations they established with involved local LGUs and communities in preparation for the pilot face-to-face classes which started in public schools on Nov. 15.
As shared by SDO Zambales School District Superintendent Romeo Alip in a virtual EduAksyon press briefing, the LGUs and Indigenous People (IP) communities of the 10 participating schools are fully supportive of the pilot run.
In terms of concurrence with the LGUs, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was made by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), provincial government, the municipal government concerned, and the community expressing their full support for the pilot implementation of the face-to-face classes.
In the MOA, the provincial government will provide free rapid antigen tests and RT-PCR for teachers every two weeks as a requirement and will be assisting in full capacity for logistic concerns, security, and health.
The governor and mayors also pledged additional learning facilitators to ensure learning continuity in case teachers need to be quarantined or isolated.
Alip said that LGUs will provide necessary augmentation for food and supplies of teachers who opted to stay in school for the duration of the implementation.
The LGUs also expressed their support through the provision of health-related supplies and some learning materials.
SDO Zambales also provided orientations and technical assistance to concerned school heads and teachers regarding class programming and scheduling. All classes are onsite or face-to-face in the morning and printed modular in the afternoon.
Moreover, the schools have procured health-related materials, using the downloaded support funds from DepEd and program support funds for Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) and other sources.
For the physical preparations, the schools assured the availability of functional wash areas and a designated area for triage.
They also posted markings and signages in the local dialect, which is Zambal, to ensure adherence to health protocols such as physical distancing, wearing of face masks, and proper hand sanitation.
Overall, Briones also expressed optimism for the results of collaborations among different community stakeholders who committed support for the pilot.
“With our continuous hard work and dedication, it will not be long when all our learners can safely set foot in their schools once again,” she added.