Teachers in QC tested for COVID-19 prior to face-to-face class pilot run

Teachers at some public schools in Quezon City which were tapped to participate in the pilot run of limited face-to-face classes next week underwent antigen tests to screen for COVID-19 on Saturday.

Around 200 teachers from Payatas B Annex Elementary Schools had the tests on Saturday morning, according to a report by Luisito Santos on Super Radyo dzBB.

No one tested positive in the tests conducted as of posting time.

On Saturday afternoon, teachers from Bagong Silangan Elementary School also in Quezon City will have their antigen tests to check for COVID-19 as well.

The testing is part of measures taken in preparation for the limited face-to-face classes pilot run set to start on Monday, December 6.

This is to ensure teachers have no COVID-19 and to assure parents that their children will be safe to attend the classes.

On Monday, 28 schools in Metro Manila will participate in the pilot run. The Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Thursday that 177 schools, including 28 public schools from Metro Manila, will join the pilot run of in-person classes. This addition tops the 118 schools that were initially approved by DepEd to conduct the limited face-to-face classes in November.

Face-to-face classes were canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with students given lessons via learning modules and online classes instead.

Pilot testing of face-to-face classes started on November 15 in several areas in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic, in which 100 public schools—subject to strict health protocols—are participating.

On the other hand, 18 private schools from several areas nationwide that were deemed at low risk for COVID-19 also started their own pilot face-to-face classes on November 22.

The DepEd said the assessment period for the initial run of pilot face-to-face classes will be until December 22, 2021. The pilot study is set to end on January 31, 2022. —KG, GMA News