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Limited in-person classes can resume in rural areas in January, says senator

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Gillan Ropero, 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 December 06, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/12/09/students.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 December 06, 2021. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - Limited in-person classes in rural areas can resume in January, the chairman of the Senate committee on basic education said Thursday.Some 400 local governments have &quot;zero COVID,&quot; according to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.&quot;In the rural areas my own analysis (is) we can already proceed with limited face to face classes as early as January,&quot; he told ANC&#x27;s Headstart.&quot;Some rural areas in the country are experiencing zero COVID. In the urban areas it’s a different story, we still have to be cautious.&quot;Schools in rural areas can go longer than 3 hours of learning if classrooms are at half-capacity, according to the senator.&quot;Kailangan pa magmask (they still need to wear masks), the shield should be studied carefully. The kids have a hard time talking,&quot; he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/26/21/some-schools-dismantling-plastic-barriers-as-studies-show-these-impede-air-circulation">DepEd says some schools dismantling plastic barriers as these impede airflow</a></li></ul>The Department of Education is “optimistic” that the expansion phase can start by January, said Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma.&quot;That is when we are going to consider the other grade levels—not anymore on the pilot, but really the face to face classes, the limited face-to-face classes . Under the expansion phase we are open to that, but not anymore sa pilot. Tapusin na natin kasi sandali na lang ito,&quot; he said.Meantime, teachers must be tested for COVID-19 regularly to boost the confidence of parents in the resumption of face-to-face classes in urban areas, Gatchalian said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/12/05/21/more-than-2k-students-in-ncr-to-resume-in-person-classes-monday">More than 2,000 students in NCR to resume in-person classes Monday: DepEd</a></li></ul>&quot;We go with improving the confidence by testing teachers regularly. Of course that will be shouldered by government. And second we have to make sure teenagers are also vaccinated,&quot; he said.Some P20 million is allocated in the Department of Education&#x27;s budget for gadgets of teachers, according to the senator.&quot;We have to make sure in any event learning will continue,&quot; he said.Gatchalian, a reelectionist, also said he agrees with increasing the honoraria of teachers who would render services in the upcoming elections.&quot;I agree to increase it and then let’s make it tax-free, it sends a good message to our teachers...They&#x27;re there to make sure our elections are orderly,&quot; he said.<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe 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=1855775" 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>

Limited in-person classes in rural areas can resume in January, the chairman of the Senate committee on basic education said Thursday.

Limited in-person classes can resume in rural areas in January, says senator

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Limited in-person classes can resume in rural areas in January, says senator

Gillan Ropero,

ABS-CBN News

Published December 09, 2021 09:50 AM PHT

|

Updated December 09, 2021 10:16 AM PHT

Read More:

regional news

Headstart

Sherwin Gatchalian

face to face classes

schools

education

2022 elections

teachers

COVID-19

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