Face-to-face classes dry run set from January 11 to 23

MANILA, Philippines — The dry run for face-to-face classes will be from January 11 to 23, 2021, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the pilot implementation, approved by President Rodrigo Duterte and the Cabinet during a meeting on Monday night, will be monitored by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the COVID-19 National Task Force.

The pilot test for face-to-face classes will be conducted in select schools in areas deemed low-risk to COVID-19.

READ: Duterte OKs January dry run of face-to-face classes in low COVID-risk areas

According to a timeline presented by Roque, DepEd Regional Directors will submit to Education Secretary Leonor Briones a list of nominated schools for the implementation of the dry-run face-to-face classes from December 14-18.

The schools that will participate in the dry run will then be selected on December 28. Participating school officials and representatives will undergo orientation, mobilization, and readiness confirmation on January 4-8 before the pilot implementation starts.

After the two-week dry run, regional reports will be submitted for final recommendation to the President.

Roque, however, emphasized that face-to-face classes will be voluntary, thus a parent’s permit must be submitted for the student to participate.

Classes resumed nationwide on October 5 with schools utilizing distance learning modality— a combination of online and modular learning—as campuses stay closed and physical classes remain suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

KGA