Low-risk areas may have face-to-face classes

Face-to-face classes seen in low-risk areas soon

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte and the Cabinet approved the recommendation of the Department of Education to conduct its pilot face-to-face classes in selected areas considered as low-risk places.

Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque said in a text message to reporters said President Duterte approved the proposal during the cabinet meeting. The Department of Education presented its plan to implement a dry run of face-to-face instructions in select schools with low COVID-risk for the whole month of January 2021.

It is expected that the Department of Education (DepEd) will coordinate with the COVID-19 National Task Force (NTF) for the monitoring of the conduct of the pilot implementation. The pilot program shall be implemented under strict health and safety measures and in areas where there is commitment for shared responsibility among DepEd, local government units and parents.

“We need to emphasize that face-to-face classes in schools where this may be allowed will not be compulsory, but rather voluntary on the part of the learner and parents. Having said this, a parent’s permit needs to be submitted for the student to participate in face-to-face classes,” Secretary Roque said. (Melo M. Acuña)

Presidential Spokesperson Secretary Harry Roque. (File Photo/Screen grab from December 14,2020 press briefing)