FILE PHOTO: Secretary of the Department of Education Leonor Briones during regular briefing in Malacañang. INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC
MANILA, Philippines — Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones on Monday encouraged all public and private schools to return to holding in-person classes for the upcoming School Year 2022-23.
At present, the DepEd chief said around 73 percent of public schools have already resumed face-to-face classes.
“So, right now, ang sinasabi ko 73.28 percent na ng public schools at saka meron ding tayong mga private schools na inu-urge natin, ine-encourage natin na bumalik na sila sa face-to-face,” Briones said in a Laging Handa public briefing.
(So, right now, what I’m saying is 73.28 percent of public schools and there are also private schools that we urge and encourage to return to face-to-face.)
“By June, which is already a few days away from now, sa next academic school year, ine-expect natin na fully 100 percent na ang pag-implement ng face-to-face,” she added.
(By June, which is already a few days away from now, in the next academic school year, we are expecting to 100 percent fully implement face-to-face classes.)
READ: DepEd to ‘strongly’ push for expansion of face-to-face classes
Asked to clarify what they mean about fully opening face-to-face classes, DepEd Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said they are encouraging all schools to hold in-person learning.
He, however, noted that DepEd is eyeing a blended setup wherein there are days when students will physically be present in school and some days when students will be allowed to learn at home.
“Ang ibig pong sabihin natin ay hinihikayat na natin ang lahat ng paaralan na magsagawa ng face-to-face classes pero ang tinitignan po namin na blended, may face-to-face na mga araw, at may araw na papayagan na nasa mga bahay pa rin natututo ang mga bata,” he explained.
(This means that we are encouraging all schools to conduct face-to-face classes but we are looking at a blended setup, there are face-to-face days and there are days when they are allowed to have classes at home.)
Early this month, Briones was alarmed by the low number of private schools holding in-person classes.
Data from the United Nations Children’s Fund showed that many children have dropped out as face-to-face classes resumed.