The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday, Aug. 9, officially announced that face-to-face classes will remain “prohibited” when the School Year (SY) 2021-2022 formally opens on Sept. 13.

“The Department had to find ways to keep the learning process going despite the challenges and uncertainty posed by COVID-19 while maintaining the health, safety, and well-being of learners and teachers,” Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones said.

Last week, DepEd released the official School Calendar and Activities for the incoming school year. Just like in the previous school year, DepEd will continue to implement blended learning anew amidst the ongoing global health crisis.

As stated in DepEd Order 029 series of 2021, the department will kick off SY 2021-2022 next month as previously approved by President Duterte. The incoming school year will on June 24, 2022 for a total of 209 school days - inclusive of Saturdays and the five-day midyear break.

Meanwhile, some private schools and state/local universities and colleges (SUCs/LUCs) offering basic education have already started their classes. This after DepEd has allowed them to open classes within the authorized period by Republic Act No. 11480.

Based on the guidelines issued by DepEd, the conduct of face-to-face classes - whether in partial or full-scale - will “still not be allowed” unless permitted by the President.

“The assurance of vaccines to all, including school-age children, is not guaranteed,” Briones said.

“However, education must continue to give hope and contribute to the normalization of activities in the country and facilitate the development of our learners and the restoration of normalcy in their lives,” she added.

DepEd has set the regular enrollment for SY 2021-2022 from Aug. 16 until Sept. 13, 2021.

Meanwhile, Regional Offices were also instructed by DepEd to enhance the implementation of the Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP).

This can be done by maximizing the use of DepEd TV and Radio-Based Instruction to lessen reliance on printed modules, encouraging return of learners who did not enroll last year, and ensuring equitable distribution of teachers’ workload following the standards set in Magna Carta for Teachers.

DepEd also noted that the Alternative Learning System (ALS) learning intervention will also “formally open” on Sept. 13. “The program duration will depend on the learner’s educational background or existing knowledge level before enrolling in the ALS program,” the agency explained.

To prepare for the opening of classes, DepEd said that schools were asked to conduct “Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela (BE-OBE)” to inform and strengthen partnerships that complement DepEd’s effort to ensure quality basic education amidst the pandemic.