No class size limit for in-person classes — DepEd

ATTENDANCE CHECK Grade 2 pupils attend limited in-person classes at Kapt. Jose Cardones Integrated School in Taguig City in this photo taken on March 9. —RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) will not set a class size limit once face-to-face classes resume at total capacity by November, its chief Vice President Sara Duterte said Thursday. 

Duterte said there is no prescribed class size since school classroom situations vary.

She, however, assured that DepEd will still require schools to ensure that health protocols, particularly physical distancing, will still be followed during classes. 

“Hindi kami naglagay [sa department order] ng exact size ng class dahil iba-iba ‘yung situation ng lahat ng mga schools natin. There are no schools na pare-pareho sila exactly sa kanilang classrooms and sa kanilang teachers,” Duterte told reporters.

(We did not place an exact size of classes because the situation in schools varies. For example, no schools have exactly  the size of classrooms and the same number of teachers.)

“So ang nilagay natin doon at in-approve din ng Pangulo during the cabinet meeting is that physical distancing shall be implemented whenever possible,” she added.

(We put in the department order, which the President approved during the Cabinet meeting, that physical distancing shall be implemented whenever possible.)

Duterte was referring to DepEd Order No. 34, which ordered all public and private schools to shift to five-day face-to-face classes by Nov. 2.

According to the said order, distance and blended learning will no longer be allowed starting that day.

The rules stated in the order prohibit students and school personnel from eating together inside the school if limited space is limited.

“Naglagay lang din kami doon ng guide about eating dahil ito ‘yung isa sa mga instances na nagtatanggal tayo ng mask, na eating together should be prohibited,” Duterte said.

(We’ve also put a guide regarding eating because this is one of the instances that masks need to be removed, eating together should be prohibited.)

“Kung limited yung spaces doon sa loob ng eskwelahan, para tayo ay maghiwa-hiwalay habang kumain ay we all eat facing the same direction. So hindi po magkaharap yung mga tao,” she added.

(If the space is limited inside the school that bars them from physical distancing, at least students and school personnel should eat facing the same direction. So they would not face each other.)

In an earlier briefing, DepEd Undersecretary Epimaco Densing said it is up to the agency’s regional directors to determine how physical distancing and other health protocols would be followed in schools.

The school year 2022-2023 is set to open on August 22 and will run until July 7, 2023.

JMS/abc