Groups of uniform-clad students filled up the once-empty classrooms of public elementary and high schools in Pasig City as face-to-face classes resume for the school year 2022 to 2023.
According to the Pasig City Schools Division Office (SDO), nine out of 44 public elementary and high schools in the city will implement full face-to-face classes for this week (Monday, Aug. 22 to Friday, Aug. 26).
These schools are Francisco Legaspi Memorial School, Ugong National High School, Maybunga Elementary School, Sto. Niño Elementary School, Pinagbuhatan High School, Pasig City Science High School, Dela Paz High School, Pinagbuhatan Elementary School, and San Miguel Elementary School.
The other 35 schools will be implementing blended learning with their respective schedules for on-site and virtual sessions.
As of Friday, Aug. 19, Rizal High School (RHS) logged a total of 12,300 enrollees in the junior and senior high school levels of the RHS main campus, according to Richard Santos, the principal of RHS.
"50 percent po muna 'yung narereport sa amin weekly. Hinati namin 'yung 12,300 into set A and B. Sa unang linggo, 'yung 6,150 at sa susunod na linggo, ang papasok naman 'yung 6,150 sa set B (We divided the 12,300 enrollees into set A and B with 50 percent reporting to the school weekly. In the first week, the 6,150 students in set A will be on-site. Then the other 6,150 in set B will be for the following week)," he said in an interview with DZBB.
Santos said the RHS is not implementing a double shifting system. They will continue with the 50-50 online and on-site alternate modality from Aug. 22 to Oct. 31.
Their standard class size is around 25 to 30 students per class only.
It was a challenge to maintain the health protocols as the students were undergoing an "adjustment period."
Santos noted there were students who were not used to wearing their face masks for longer than four hours, having been used to putting them on and taking them off frequently at home.
With the help of the teachers, Santos said they are trying not to better enforce the protocols so as to not risk and sacrifice the health and safety of their young learners.
Meanwhile, Nagpayong Elementary School (NES) is utilizing a two shift system to accommodate the 11,900 enrolled students in the school, according to a report by GMA.
The morning shift is from 7 a.m. to 12 nn, while the afternoon is until 5:30 to 6 p.m.
To avoid crowding in classrooms, the class size is 20 students per room.
Attendance of students were divided in two sets. Set A will come to school on Mondays and Wednesdays, and set B on Tuesdays and Thursdays. All classes on Fridays are virtual.
The Pasig City local government expressed its delight and support to the students, teachers, and school bodies for this school year.
“Hangad ng Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Pasig ang isang maayos at ligtas na pagsisimula ng bagong school year! (The local government of Pasig City hopes for a safe and orderly start to the new school year),” their statement read.
“Sana ay maging makabuluhan ang pagbabalik ninyo sa mga paaralan at gamitin ang pagkakataong ito para matuto at magkaroon ng mga bagong kakilala at kaibigan (We hope you will use this opportunity to have a meaningful return to grow and make friends in your schools),” the statement added.
Amid the excitement, they reminded the public to continue following the minimum health and safety protocols by regularly sanitizing and washing hands, properly wearing face masks, and observing social distancing at all times.