Dry run of face-to-face classes in select schools set for January 11 to 23, 2021 — Palace

Select schools in areas with low risk for COVID-19 transmission will hold face-to-face classes from January 11 to 23, 2021, Malacañang said Tuesday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the dry run will be monitored by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the COVID-19 National Task Force.

The last week of January will be devoted to the submission of reports regarding the outcome of the pilot face-to-face classes and evaluation for final recommendation to President Rodrigo Duterte.

Based on the timeline provided by the DepEd, regional directors will have to submit to Education Secretary Leonor Briones a list of nominated schools on or before December 18.

Briones will then choose the pilot schools on December 28, to be followed by orientation, mobilization and readiness confirmation of these schools.

The DepEd chief said some rural areas have expressed interest in conducting face-to-face classes.

Earlier in the day, DepEd said  it has already created a list of schools nominated to conduct a dry run for the resumption of face-to-face classes in areas with low risk for COVID-19.

But Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said they will still have to evaluate these schools in terms of their readiness for the face-to-face classes.

On Monday, Duterte and the Cabinet approved the DepEd’s recommendation to hold a dry run.

The Palace, however, emphasized that face-to-face classes would be voluntary, thus a parent’s permit must be submitted for the student to participate.

“The pilot shall be done under strict health and safety measures, and where there is commitment for shared responsibility among DepEd, local government units and parents,” Roque said. — RSJ, GMA News