Education Secretary Leonor Briones strongly encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) noting that this will play a very crucial role in the resumption of face-to-face classes in schools that offer basic education nationwide.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Dec. 21, Briones expressed hope for continuous expansion of limited face-to-face classes. She also highly encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated as the “resumption of face-to-face classes relies on the outcome of the immunization campaign.”
Briones also expressed hope that the DepEd would be able to continuously expand the implementation of limited face-to-face classes as more Filipinos are vaccinated with the success of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Days.
Citing government data, DepEd said that 10,254,560 COVID-19 vaccines were administered nationwide in the five-day vaccination drive from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3 and even recorded its highest five-level average since March 2021 with the daily jab rate reaching 2.05 million in the past week.
The government also pushed through with the second round of the “Bayanihan, Bakunahan” from Dec. 15 to 17.
“Kaya kami ay tuwang-tuwa and it’s a great honor for us to work with Secretary Duque and Secretary Galvez and Vince sa kampanyang ito kasi ang success ng education is very dependent on the health of our children and we need to protect our children hindi lamang iyong 12-17 years old na mga bata, pero lahat including the parents themselves (So we are very happy and it's a great honor for us to work with Secretary Duque and Secretary Galvez and Vince on this campaign because the success of education is very dependent on the health of our children and we need to protect our children not only your 12-17 years old children, but everyone including the parents themselves),” Briones said.
Since the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face started on Nov. 15, Briones noted that there is “great interest” in opening in-person sessions not only in low risk areas but even in urban areas such as Metro Manila and Region IV-A and other large cities with high enrollment.
Briones expressed hope that DepEd can move forward by 2022 when it comes to the resumption of face-to-face classes.
“By end December, tatapusin na natin itong pilot and talagang i-implement na natin ang tunay na polisiya para sa edukasyon, blended learning, kombinasyon ng digital learning at saka face-to-face at bigyan natin ang mga bata ng pagkakataon na makakita din sila ng iba pang mga bata (By the end of December, we will end this pilot and we will really implement the real policy for education, blended learning, combination of digital learning and then face -to-face so we can give the children the chance to see other kids too),” Briones added.