Briones: DepEd now considering ‘limited’ face-to-face classes in low risk areas

The Education Department is now considering to have ‘limited’ face-to-face classes in areas with low risk of COVID-19 infection.

At a public briefing on Thursday, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said the limited face-to face classes were discussed with President Rodrigo Duterte and the Cabinet members Wednesday evening.

“Kagabi lamang, pinag-usapan ito sa Gabinete na kasama si Presidente Duterte,” she said.

“Sa tingin namin, sa mga tinatawag na low risk areas, puwede siguro klaruhin natin 'yung limited. Hindi 'yung araw-araw nandoon 'yung mga bata. Limited na face to face, pero may mga condition,” she said.

Briones noted that the classes will be scheduled only once or twice every week.

“Maliwanag sa Presidente, binigyan niya talaga ng diin yan: limited face-to-face,” she underscored.

In June, Briones stood firm that there will be no face-to-face classes until a vaccine is found and made accessible.

‘Low risk’

To qualify for the limited face-to-face classes, Briones said the concerned area should be identified by the Inter-Agency Task Force as ‘low risk.’

The facility should also have proper facilities that will observe minimum health standards like for social distancing and hand washing. She added that the school should have enough adequate supply of medicines and is near to health facilities.

The start of classes is set on August 24. 

The DepEd has ralso eported that of the 20,220,000 who have enrolled for the school year,  200,000 to 250,000 students are from private schools, with July 15 set as the deadline for enrollment for public schools.

But the department said it will still accept late enrollees until the class opening after seven million of expected students did not enrol during the enrollment period. — RSJ, GMA News