Pres. Duterte approves dry run of face to face classes

Pres. Duterte approves dry run of face to face classes

A dry run of face-to-face classes in schools located in places with low coronavirus risk will be allowed in January 2021 following the approval from President Duterte and the Cabinet.

The Palace informs that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and the Cabinet approved during the Cabinet meeting, December 14, 2020, the conduct of pilot implementation or dry run of face-to-face classes in select schools within areas with low COVID-risk for the month of January 2021 as proposed by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The pilot “voluntary” face-to-face classes shall be done with strict health and safety measures, and where there is a commitment for shared responsibility among DepEd, local government units, and parents.

“The Palace informs that President Rodrigo Roa Duterte approved during tonight’s Cabinet meeting, December 14, 2020, the presentation of the Department of Education (DepEd) to conduct pilot implementation or dry run of face-to-face classes in select schools within areas with low COVID-risk for the whole month of January 2021,” said Presidential spokesman Harry Roque

The DepEd shall coordinate with the COVID-19 National Task Force (NTF) for the monitoring of the conduct of the pilot implementation.

“The DepEd shall coordinate with the COVID-19 National Task Force (NTF) for the monitoring of the conduct of the pilot implementation.  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.

Roque clarified that the planned face-to-face classes in schools would “not be compulsory, but rather voluntary” on the part of the learner and parents.  

 “Having said this, a parent’s permit needs to be submitted for the student to participate in face-to-face classes,” according to Roque.