HEALTH PROTOCOL. Elementary school students in Barangay Igsoro, Bugasong, Antique wash their hands at the start of the pilot run of limited in-face classes on Monday (Nov. 15, 2021). The installation of facilities for washing is one of the requirements to hold actual classes. (Photo courtesy of DepEd Antique)
MANILA - The first day of the limited face-to-face classes in almost 100 schools was successful, an education official said Tuesday.
There were also three Department of Education (DepEd) schools in Zambales that deferred their opening of classes -- San Marcelino National High School and Baliwet Elementary School as some teachers tested positive for Covid-19 the day before, and Banawen Elementary School due to the unavailability of the antigen test results of teachers.
"Malugod po nating tinanggap ang unang mga mag-aaral natin na tumuntong muli sa ating mga paaralan physically matapos nang mahigit isang school year na tayo ay nag-pure distancing learning. At ito po ay kasama sa ating (We cordially welcome the learners who went to school physically after more than a year of pure distance learning. They are included in our) pilot face-to-face implementation in select schools nationwide.” DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said in a Palace briefing.
More than 5,000 learners and nearly 1,000 teachers participated in the first day of pilot in-person classes.
Malaluan said it is a preparatory run prior to the expanded phase of limited in-person classes.
All outcome will be evaluated on January 31.
"We are confident that we will be able to successfully conduct this pilot phase. We will learn from it and so that we will be ready for the implementation and reintroduction of face-to-face classes sa lahat po ng ating mga paaralan sa buong bansa sa susunod na taon (in all our schools nationwide next year) in 2022," he said.
In a separate media briefing, DepEd Director Jocelyn Andaya said the 20 private schools that will join the pilot limited face-to-face classes starting November 22 are in Regions 1 (Ilocos), 3 (Central Luzon), 6 (Western Visayas), 7 (Central Visayas), 9 (Zambonga), and 12 (Soccsksargen). (PNA)
