177 more schools up for in-person classes

READY This classroom in the upland village of Balanac in Ligao City, Albay, is readied in time for the start of in-person classes on Monday. —PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LIGAO CITY DIVISION

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is eyeing 177 more schools — 28 in Metro Manila — to be included in the pilot implementation of in-person classes.

“There was an agreement between the Metro Manila mayors that they want to have representation for all cities,” DepEd spokesperson Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said in an interview on Friday.

The 177 schools are on top of the 100 public schools and 18 private schools that have already resumed limited in-person classes.

“In view of the improving COVID-19 situation in the country, the DepEd and the [Department of Health] have endorsed to the Office of the President to give them greater flexibility in increasing the number of schools [that can conduct physical classes]. It was approved provided that we still keep it in the pilot stage,” Malaluan said.

He added that Education Secretary Leonor Briones already instructed that all schools nationwide should already start administering the school safety assessment and preparing for in-person classes in the “expanded phase” anticipated to be early next year.

The expanded phase would not be limited to specific grade levels, unlike the ongoing pilot implementation which only allowed limited physical classes in kindergarten; Grades 1, 2, 3; and senior high school.

Limited hours

Currently, in-person classes are limited to three hours for kindergarten and four hours for students in higher levels.

While it may not be enough time to take advantage of in-person, Malaluan explained that additional class hours “will mean they may be staying in school beyond lunchtime, and of course, having lunch together in school can present further risks.”

For its part, the Philippine National Police was already preparing to provide security for orderly and peaceful in-person classes in the National Capital Region (NCR).

In a statement on Saturday, PNP chief Police Gen. Dionardo Carlos said they would focus their attention on the 28 schools in NCR that were being eyed to be added to the pilot list.

“The PNP will secure a final list of the participating schools so I can order the chiefs of police in those areas to plan for their deployment to ensure security in these school premises,” he added.