DepEd, DOH sign memorandum for pilot in-person classes

MANILA, Philippines — The setup of classes in other countries during the pandemic that “we are dreaming about and longing for” will look different under the pilot study of in-person learning approach in the Philippines.

In an effort to address the challenges of the distance learning approach, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Health (DOH) on Monday formally signed the joint memorandum that laid out the operational guidelines for the pilot implementation of in-person classes.

“[Some countries] are conducting [in-person classes] but it’s not everywhere, it’s not every day and it’s highly regulated. This is the kind of [in-person] that we will have to be facing at this time … and not the [in-person] we grew up in and, of course, we long for,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

Following the new arrangements, only schools situated in minimal risk or alert level 1 areas are eligible to take part in the dry run.

The DepEd said there would be 95 participating elementary schools, five senior high schools and 20 private schools from different regions—the list of which is yet to be finalized by the agency.

The local governments of the school facilities along with the barangay, municipalities, cities and provinces must submit a resolution or letter of support indicating the in-person classes to be allowed in their area.

Parents must provide a written consent form stipulating that they are authorizing their children to join the in-person classes.

Based on the framework, each classroom will only facilitate a maximum of 12 learners for Kindergarten, 16 for Grades 1 to 3, 20 for senior high school and 12 for senior high school in a technical-vocational-livelihood program or with workshops in science laboratories.

Group works that require close contact will not be allowed and a staggered break time will be implemented. An alternating schedule will be followed wherein students will attend one week straight of in-person classes and participate in another week of distance learning.

The DepEd also agreed that only one teacher will handle one class in basic education to limit the contact for the whole duration of the pilot study.