77 schools in Ilocos region join expanded in-person classes

A pupil of an elementary school in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur has her temperature checked at a medical triage during the expanded in-person classes on Monday, Feb. 21. (Photo courtesy of Vigan City government)

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — At least 77 public schools in the Ilocos region have opened their doors for the expanded in-person classes beginning Monday (Feb. 21), the regional Department of Education (DepEd) said Tuesday.

The DepEd said these schools joined 20 other schools in the region that had already resumed limited in-person classes in November last year.

Of the 77, at least 39 schools are in Pangasinan, 32 in Ilocos Norte, and six in Ilocos Sur, according to Pedro Jose Cudal, planning officer for the regional DepEd, during a virtual press briefing on Tuesday.

Physical classes were allowed to resume in the region after it was placed under COVID-19 Alert Level 2, the DepEd said.

All the schools have undergone and passed a safety audit. Depending on the school’s capacity, students enrolled from Kindergarten through Grade 12 may attend classes physically.

Only vaccinated teachers may participate in the in-person classes. Students, meanwhile, are encouraged to get vaccinated, but it is not a requirement, said DepEd.

To ensure the safety of students, schools are required to strictly implement health protocols while giving them the “flexibility” to lay down contact time for teaching and learning. INQ