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6,000 schools ready to join expansion of in-person classes if COVID-19 curbs ease

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Students observe safety protocol inside the Ricardo P Cruz St. Elementary School in Taguig City, during the first day of the pilot face-to-face classes in the National Capital Region on Dec. 6, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/02/11/20211206-face-to-face-class-taguig-_001717750.jpg"/><figcaption>Students observe safety protocol inside the Ricardo P Cruz St. Elementary School in Taguig City, during the first day of the pilot face-to-face classes in the National Capital Region on Dec. 6, 2021. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Some 6,000 schools are prepared to join the expanded phase of face-to-face classes once restrictions against COVID-19 loosen in their area, the Department of Education said on Friday. </p><p>At least 15 schools in Metro Manila joined the expansion of in-person classes this week, in addition to 28 schools in the region that were allowed to hold classroom sessions under the pilot phase last November. </p><p>Several schools in Batanes, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Southern Leyte, and Biliran provinces were also set to join the expanded phase on different dates, mostly at the start of this school year&#x27;s third quarter, said DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan. </p><p>&quot;Naging maayos ang feedback sa atin ng mga nag-umpisa na and this will progressively increase in the coming days, lalo na kung itong ating [COVID-19] Alert Level 2 ay lumawak pa after Feb. 15,&quot; he said in a televised public briefing.</p><p>(The feedback from the schools that have started was good and this will progressively increase in the coming days, especially if our pandemic Alert Level 2 is expanded after Feb. 15.)</p><p>The second in 5 COVID-19 alert levels allows face-to-face classes. Government is expected to <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/09/22/new-covid-alert-levels-may-be-out-on-valentines-day">announce</a> around Valentine&#x27;s Day the new alert levels for the rest of February. </p><p>&quot;Kung pag-uusapan iyong mga paaralan sa buong bansa na handa na basta maging Alert Level 2, ang report sa atin ng mga regional directors, we have more than 6,000 schools that are ready to join the expanded phase. At parami nang parami iyang mga handa na ‘yan basta ma-comply na nila iyong ating school safety assessment,&quot; he said in a public briefing. </p><p>(If we talk about schools nationwide that are ready once Alert Level 2 is raised, the report to us of regional directors is we have more than 6,000 schools that are ready to join the expanded phase. And these will increase once they comply with our school safety assessment.)</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe __idm_id__="14032897" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1923874" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><address style="text-align:center">Video courtesy of PTV </address><p>The pilot phase of face-to-face classes only covered kindergarten up to Grade 3, as well as senior high school in the technical vocation track, noted Malaluan. </p><p>In the expansion phase, he said all grade levels could hold in-person classes, depending on a school’s capacity. </p><p>He said the DepEd will discuss with the Department of Health if in-person class hours could be extended. The pilot phase was limited to 3 hours for kindergarten and 4 hours for higher grade levels. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/03/22/alamin-guidelines-sa-pagpapalawig-ng-face-to-face-classes">ALAMIN: Paunang guidelines sa pagpapalawig ng face-to-face classes</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Maaari na rin nating sabihin na kabahagi na ito ng ating pag-normalize or pag-transition sa sinasabi nating [pandemic] exit program. Of course, that is with a lot of hope that the COVID situation will continue to improve,&quot; Malaluan said of expanded face-to-face classes. </p><p>(We can also say this is part of our normalization or transition into our so-called exit program.) </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/02/22/philippines-begins-exploring-pandemic-exit-plan">Philippines begins exploring pandemic exit plan, says official</a></li></ul>

Some 6,000 schools are ready to join the expansion of face-to-face classes once restrictions against COVID-19 loosen in their area, the DepEd said.