DepEd’s 56.89% of public schools resumed face-to-face classes —Briones
By Creselda Canda-Lopez
“It is ironic that at the height of debates on face-to-face schooling, there were many demands for face-to-face, but now that we have approved it, there are only 676 private schools opening face-to-face,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said total of 25,668 or 56.89% of public schools nationwide have already gone back to in-person learning amid COVID-19 pandemic.
In her presentation during President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People aired earlier, Briones is expecting 5,948,640 public school students from all grade levels to participate in face-to-face classes.
She noted that this number is 25.61% of the 23,230,898 total enrollees in the public school sector in the current academic year.
Despite this, Briones said remains “challenge” for DepEd that only 676 private schools or 5.47% of its total number have resumed face-to-face classes. At least 226,991 students or 7.09% of the private school learners are expected to enjoin this development.
Deputy Chief Implementer Vince Dizon of the National Task Force Against (NTF) COVID-19 pointed out that there were various reasons why there was a “resistance” from private schools to hold in-person classes again.
“The most compelling of which is that some parents in private schools are still quite apprehensive about letting their children go back to face-to-face classes, which of course is the right of every parent,” he explained.
All in all, there are 6,175,631 students conducting face-to-face classes in 26,344 schools nationwide.
In February, DepEd authorized all regional directors to begin “progressive expansion” phase of face-to-face classes for both public and private schools, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval of department’s recommendation to expand face-to-face classes in areas under Alert Level 2 and below.
Pilot testing of face-to-face classes in the country started in November 2021 for both public and private schools that were subject to strict health protocols.
Only vaccinated teachers may participate in the face-to-face classes, while vaccinated learners are preferred, DepEd.
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said they will ramp up the “relatively low” vaccination coverage among students in basic education for their safe return to schools.
Dizon echoed this, noting that NTF has at least 15 million vaccine doses for the pediatric population aged 5-11 that are ready to be distributed in schools just in case.
The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) placed more areas under least stringent COVID-19 Alert Level 1 until May 15, 2022.
In a statement, presidential spokesman Secretary Martin Andanar said Nueva Vizcaya and Misamis Occidental had been placed under Alert Level 1 are Talisay City in Cebu, Antipas in North Cotabato, and Banga in South Cotabato.
Andanar said IATF approved recommendations of sub-Technical Working Group for Data Analytics placing the said areas under Alert Level 1 effective May 3.
The IATF earlier announced that it had retained Alert Level 1 classification on the National Capital Region (NCR) until May 15, 2022.
Also placed under Alert Level 1 from May 1 to 15 were Luzon’s Cordillera Administrative Region, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, and Baguio City;Region I, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Dagupan City;Region II, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, and City of Santiago;Region III, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Angeles City, and Olongapo City;Region IV-A, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, and Lucena City;Region IV-B, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, and Puerto Princesa City;Region V, Albay, Catanduanes, Naga City; Visayas’ Region VI, Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo Province, Bacolod City, and Iloilo City;Region VII, Siquijor, Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Mandaue City; Region VIII, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc City, and Tacloban City; Mindanao’s Region IX, Zamboanga City;Region X, Camiguin, Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Cagayan de Oro City, and Iligan City;Region XI, Davao City; CARAGA: Surigao del Sur and Butuan City.
Meanwhile, component cities and municipalities also under Alert Level 1 from May 1 to 15, 2022 includes Luzon’s Cordillera Administrative Region, Tublay, Benguet;Region IV-A, Candelaria, Quezon; Dolores, Quezon; and San Antonio, Quezon;Region IV-B: Cagayancillo, Palawan; Region V, Caramoan, Pili, and Tigaon, Camarines Sur; and Capalonga, Camarines Norte; Visayas’ Region VI, Candoni, Negros Occidental and Tobias Fornier (Dao), Antique;Region VII, Amlan (Ayuquitan), Negros Oriental and Duero, Bohol;Region VIII, Matalom, Leyte;Mindanao’s Region IX, Jose Dalman (Ponot) and Labason, Zamboanga del Norte; Molave and Ramon Magsaysay (Liargo) Zamboanga del Sur; and Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay;Region X, Tudela, Misamis Occidental; Baroy, Lanao del Norte; Lala, Lanao del Norte; and Tubod, Lanao del Norte;Region XI, Caraga, Davao Oriental;Region XII, City of Koronadal, South Cotabato; Arakan, North Cotabato; and Lebak, Sultan Kudarat;CARAGA, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte; Santa Josefa, Agusan del Sur; Libjo (Albor), Dinagat Islands; and General Luna, Surigao del Norte;Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, South Upi, Maguindanao and Turtle Islands, Tawi-Tawi.
Under Alert Level 1, intrazonal and interzonal travel are allowed without regard to age and comorbidities.
All establishments, persons, or activities, are allowed to operate, work, or be undertaken at full on-site or venue/seating capacity provided it is consistent with minimum public health standards.
President Duterte earlier said country would not deescalate to Alert Level 0 until “everything is alright.”
Provinces, highly urbanized cities (HUCs), and independent component cities (ICCs), meanwhile, have been placed under Alert Level 2 for the same period including Luzon’s Cordillera Administrative Region: Benguet, Ifugao;Region IV-A, Quezon Province;Region IV-B, Occidental Mindoro and Palawan;Region V, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Masbate, and Sorsogon; Visayas’ Region VI, Antique and Negros Occidental;Region VII, Bohol, Cebu, and Negros Oriental; and Region VIII, Leyte, Northern Samar and Western Samar; Mindanao’s Region IX, City of Isabela, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Sibugay;Region X, Lanao del Norte;Region XI, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro and Davao Occidental; Region XII, General Santos City, the rest of North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and the rest of South Cotabato;CARAGA, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte;Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Basilan, Cotabato City, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
Under Alert Level 2, certain establishments and activities are allowed at 50% capacity indoors for fully vaccinated adults (and minors, even if unvaccinated), and 70% capacity outdoors.
The Department of Health on Monday logged 188 new COVID-19 infections, as the country’s active cases decreased to 5,303.
Based on DOH’s data posted on its website, this brings nationwide COVID-19 case load to 3,686,082.
The health department said total recoveries rose to 3,620,369, while country’s death toll climbed to 60,410.
The DOH said at least 12,663 individuals were tested, while 290 testing labs submitted data on May 1.
It said that the bed occupancy in the country was 15.9%, with 5,055 beds occupied, while 26,746 vacant.
From April 25 to May 1, the country logged total of 1,399 new COVID-19 cases, 5 percent lower than the cases reported the previous week.
According to the DOH’s weekly case bulletin, the daily case average for the week was 200.
This was lower compared to the 209 average recorded from April 18 to 24, with 1,465 total new COVID-19 infections.
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