Department of Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio assured the public that limited face-to-face classes can be implemented within a week once they are approved.
“Within one week, all systems go na po tayo pagka-nabigyan tayo ng pahintulot na makapagsagawa ng limitadong face-to-face (classes),” said the DepEd official on Tuesday.
These will only be implemented in places with low COVID-19 cases and if there is support from parents and local authorities, said San Antonio. He added that preparations are ongoing in case they are given the go signal and that they are ready to present them in a Senate inquiry on Wednesday.
San Antonio said they are amenable to Senator Win Gatchalian’s suggestion of forming a panel of experts that will guide pilot testing of the rollout of limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas.
A resolution calling on the DepEd to immediately pursue pilot testing of classroom-based learning has been adopted by members of the Senate, saying many students from poor families are not able to keep up with distance learning.
They added that this will allow the agency to come up with rules for safe reopening of schools under the new normal.
DepEd’s proposal to resume face-to-face classes has been rejected twice by President Rodrigo Duterte—first in December, then in February due to local cases of the more contagious UK COVID-19 variant.
