F2F classes not compulsory in Davao Region next school year

Grade one students attend the limited face-to-face classes at the Kabacan Elementary School in Davao City on Monday, 14 March 2022. According to a school official, only students who have secured a parental consent are allowed to attend the in-person classes while the rest will still study under the modular method. MindaNews Photo

DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 2 June) – Public and private schools in Davao Region will not be obliged to hold full-blown face-to-face classes starting next school year as the threat of COVID-19 remains, Jenielito Atillo, spokesperson of the Department of Education (DepEd) regional office said on Monday.
 
In an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Thursday, Atillo said the recent pronouncement of outgoing DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones regarding the 100-percent resumption of face-to-face classes only meant to encourage schools to reopen fully after more than two years of blended learning due to the pandemic.
 
He said in-person classes will be subject to several limitations, such as concurrence of the local government units, consent of the parents, readiness of the schools, and implementation of the minimum public health standards within the campuses.
 
He said schools holding limited face-to-face classes may go full-blown, provided that they strictly observe the limitations on the number of students who can attend – maximum of 12 students per classroom for kindergarten, between 16 and 20 students per classroom for grade 1 to junior high, and maximum of 20 for senior high school students.
 
He said the current school year will end on June 24.
 
He said the department has yet to determine the opening of classes for the school year 2022 to 2023.
 
“While DepEd really wants to go back to face-to-face, we are beholden to the fact that we have to comply with existing regulations of the IATF. The reality is that COVID-19 remains. We should not lower our guard just because we are vaccinated or we may have forgotten about it,” he said.
 
He said guidelines provided by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases only allow schools in areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2 status to hold face-to-face classes.
 
“Those who have started already can go full-blown. If the situation remains okay, students can be allowed to go to schools, subject again to existing policies like, for example, in one classroom there is a maximum number allowed of learners,” he added.
 
He said the parents are not forced to have their children attend classes in schools even with the current limited face-to-face classes. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)