As part of the progressive expansion phase, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday, March 11, said that more than 6,000 schools nationwide have already started implementing limited face-to-face classes.

In a virtual press briefing, DepEd Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma said that a total of 6,122 schools are now holding limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas.

“Based on data submitted to us as of March 10, more or less meron na tayong (we already have) 6,122 schools na nagsimula na or nagbukas na ng kanilang (that started or opened their) expanded, limited face-to-face classes,” Garma said.

This number, Garma explained, included the pilot schools that started limited face-to-face classes in 2021.

Garma also shared that to date, there are 8,244 schools nominated for the progressive expansion of the limited face-to-face classes. Of this number, 7,893 are public schools while 208 are private schools.

For the remaining 143 schools, Garma said that DepEd “is still verifying” whether these schools are private or government-owned.

Garma explained that before schools are allowed to hold limited face-to-face classes amid the Covid-19 pandemic, they have to "satisfy” or meet several requirements first.

These requirements include passing the Schools Safety Assessment Tool (SSAT); getting consent from the local government unit (LGU), securing the consent of parents allowing their children to participate in the limited face-to-face classes and the facilities of the schools must be friendly for in-person sessions.

The nominated schools, Garma explained, were those that were already assessed by DepEd and the Department of Health (DOH).

“This means that these are the schools that have been checked to see what their level of readiness is in case they will be implementing the limited face-to-face if their schools will be under or will be in areas under Alert Level 1 and 2,” Garma explained in a mix of English and Filipino.