Senators: Exclude schools in NCR, other high-risk areas in planned pilot testing of face-to-face classes

Some senators on Wednesday suggested excluding schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) and in other areas still with a high number of COVID-19 cases from the planned pilot testing of face-to-face classes.

The lawmakers made the suggestion as the Department of Education (DepEd) briefed the Senate basic education panel on its preparations for the proposed pilot testing of physical classes.

According to Senator Nancy Binay, proposing to conduct the pilot testing of face-to-face classes in low-risk areas may help convince President Rodrigo Duterte to finally proceed with it.

In December, the President recalled his order allowing a dry run of face-to-face classes in January 2021 in select areas amid reports of a new COVID-19 variant in the United Kingdom.

"To make the pilot face-to-face more acceptable, huwag muna natin isama yung NCR, yung Quezon Province. Kasi yung mga nasa listahan niyo na matataas, yung nagka-COVID yung learners, teaching personnel, siguro huwag muna natin sila isama doon sa initial," Binay said.

"Kumbaga, dapat piling-pili lang yung gamitin natin doon sa pilot face-to-face para maging acceptable ito kay President. Kasi if you make a presentation tapos nakasama doon sa NCR, parang kahit ako ayoko nang mag-face-to-face," she added.

Limit to schools in low-risk areas

Senator Imee Marcos echoed Binay's suggestion, saying the best way to convince the President to allow the pilot testing of face-to-face classes is to limit it to schools in low-risk areas.

"Nangangampanya tayo kay Presidente, ayaw na ayaw niya ito. So dapat ang basic premise, para makumbinse natin si Presidente, we will pilot and open only in low-risk areas," she said.

"Huwag na natin isama yung mga Pasay City at Cebu City, i-out na yan. Kasi low-risk areas, yan ang basic premise," he added.

The DepEd initially identified 1,065 schools for the pilot test of face-to-face classes, but Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said this has increased to 1,579 schools following Secretary Leonor Briones' directive to accept nominations from the regions.

But Marcos said the number of schools for pilot testing should actually be less than 1,000/

"What is really important is that they represent the urban-rural, they represent island provinces, they represent BARMM," she said.

"I think it's much more important to have a representative sampling rather than adding and adding to these list, hindi na natin masisimulan kasi kinakabahan nga ang Malacañang diyan," she added.

Risk-based approach

For his part, Senate basic education panel chair Sherwin Gatchalian urged DepEd to employ a risk-based approach in identifying the schools for the pilot testing of face-to-face classes instead of basing it in community quarantine levels in the country.

He cited, for example, the criteria set by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in identifying schools where face-to-face classes can resume, which include the number of COVID-19 cases per 10,000 population and the positivity rates.

"So it's not only the quarantine restrictions, but you have to go much more granular in terms of location and the matrices that should be used in terms of assessing risk," Gatchalian told DepEd.

"I would recommend to go deeper, beyond the quarantine levels and use this type of scientific based and public health based matrices," he added.

Nepomuceno took note of the suggestions of the senators to improve their assessment of schools where the pilot testing of face-to-face classes may be held.

"We will work to strengthen the granularity of COVID-19 transmission assessment taking into consideration the inputs of the senators," he said.

Senate resolution

The Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution recommending the resumption of face-to-face classes in the country through the immediate launching of pilot testing of localized limited physical classes.

According to the adopted resolution, the pilot testing in localized limited face-to-face classes will be launched in low-risk areas as identified by the DepEd under risk-based assessment.

The pilot testing will also be conducted following stringent mitigation measures, strict health protocols, and guidelines set by the Department of Health and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease. — RSJ, GMA News