The resumption of in-person classes in the basic education level is “doing well” said Vice President and Department of Education (DepED) Secretary Sara Duterte on Thursday, Dec. 15.
Duterte was been invited as Guest of Honor by the Knight of Rizal Supreme Council for its 60th anniversary at the Teacher’s Camp in Baguio. In a chance interview, she gave updates on the return to full face-to-face classes in public schools which started on Nov. 2.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2022/11/02/first-day-of-return-to-full-face-to-face-classes-orderly-so-far-deped/
“Our in-person or face-to-face classes are doing well,” Duterte said in a mix of English and Filipino. To date, she explained that face-to-face classes are being implemented in more than 90 percent of DepED schools.
All public schools were directed to implement five days of in-person classes while private schools were allowed to continue the implementation of distance learning.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2022/10/17/deped-allows-private-schools-to-continue-blended-learning/
In public schools, Duterte said that distance learning is also allowed if there is a calamity in respective localities.
“We leave it up to the regional directors and to the division superintendents to decide when the children will use modular when there are calamities,” she added.
Covid-19 situation in schools
Meanwhile, Duterte confirmed that there are reports of Covid-19 transmission in schools, especially with the implementation of full face-to-face classes.
“Yes, meron talaga nangyayari (Yes, that is really happening),” Duterte said, noting that it would be “impossible” that there is no Covid-19 transmission in schools since their respective situations may vary.
Given this, Duterte said that DepED local officials have been instructed to coordinate with their local or municipal health offices so they can be advised on what strategy can be used by the Local Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (LESU).
“With regard to local infections in the schools, we instructed our division superintendents to coordinate it with their respective LESUs,” Duterte said.
Duterte added that it would be best for schools to refer to their local municipal and city health offices so that they can be assisted in what to do.
“We also leave it up to the doctors to decide what to do when there is a spread of infection inside the school,” she added.
When it comes to the Covid-19 figures or infections in schools, Duterte said that this “can be best answered” by the Department of Health (DOH) since the agency is the one that is tracking the cases nationwide.
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