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| (DepEd 8 said that they are ready to comply once Pres. Duterte approved the implementation of limited face-to-face-classes in areas under GCQ and MGCQ. Photo via Google Maps.) |
TACLOBAN CITY - The Department of Education (DepEd) Region 8 said that they are ready to comply if the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) recommends limited face-to-face classes in areas under GCQ and MGCQ.
According to Jasmine Calzita, spokesperson for DepEd Region 8, they are ready to start face-to-face classes but it is necessary to study it thoroughly to having a COVID-19 outbreak.
There are many guidelines and protocols that need to be implemented in face-to-face classes such as the maximum number of students in a classroom, the availability of hygiene kits, and the screening at the entry points to make sure that everyone healthy and safe.
In addition, parents will still be given the opportunity to choose the kind of education they want for their children during the pandemic.
In December, DepEd recommended to President Duterte to allow a dry-run of limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas at a low-scale level and under strict health measures.
DepEd, then, shared a recommendation report for limited face-to-face classes citing that it is "a necessity for education" where "students are able to interact with their teachers and classmates" since it "cannot be fully replaced by distance learning modalities."
The said pilot implementation was supposed to begin in January this year but initially, the President recalled his decision due to the threat of the new COVID-19 variant. Tacloban News Update (Source: Bombo Radyo, DepEd)