DepEd-7 eyes 100% in-person classes by next school year

An estimated 78 percent of public and private schools in Central Visayas have already conducted limited face-to-face classes as reported by the Department of Education -7.

Dep Ed -7 regional director, Dr. Sal us tia no Jimenez, in a forum, reported that 91 percent of public schools all throughout Central Vi say as are already implementing the progressive expansion of limited face-to-face classes while 35 percent of private schools have conducted the same.

“As of now, around 91% of our( public) schools all throughout Central Visayas are already implementing the progressive expansion of limited face-to-face however for the private schools, there are still about 35% of our (private) schools who implemented limited face to face,” said Jimenez.

Jimenez stated that the remaining 9 percent of public schools that have not yet implemented limited face-to-face classes are mostly big institutions that have a huge population of students.

The said schools need to submit requirements such as the School Safety Assessment Tool (SSAT) to conduct limited face-to-face classes.

“Number one ang SSAT or the School Safety Assessment Tool. Makalatid dinha ang ilang schedule of classes, and then ang ilahang mga requirements for protocols, (and) essentials,” said Jimenez.

Teachers from these institutions struggle to submit the requirements due to the huge number of students that they need to divide into manageable classes wherein they can observe the proper protocols set by the Department of Health and the IATF.

“Kung daghan kaayo og mga bata mao nang malisod jud og bahin-bahin sa principal unsaon na ang observing of the protocol set by the Department of Health and also the IATF,” said Jimenez.

Jimenez, however, noted that the preparations of these schools are ongoing and that byAugust 22 of this year, the start of school year 2022-2023, they are targeting a 100 percent implementation of limited face-to-face classes among all public schools within the region.

“So naay mga 9% nga wala pa, as of now, ongoing pu dang preparation spud nil a… We are targeting byAugust 22, the opening of classes for school year 2022-2023,100% of our public schools will be implementing the same (limited face-to-face classes),” said Jimenez.

Jimenez also said that they have not received a single report of a COVID-19 infection among students and personnel since the start of conducting limited face-to-face classes within the region.

“Wala jud tay reported nga bisag usa ka kaso nga tungod kay naa sila ning-attend sa limited face to face nga na positive sila,” said Jimenez.

VACCINATION

Meanwhile, 98 percent of teaching and non-teaching personnel in Central Visayas have already been vaccinated.

The remaining two percent, although not forced to get themselves vaccinated, are still being encouraged to do so.

“The remaining 2% mao nalang ni atong gi atiman, atong gipasabot og ayo, usahay ipatawag kung unsa jud ilang mga rason though it’s very clear in RA 11525 Sec. 12 that vaccination or vax card is not a requirement for them to report on site and we respected that,” said Jimenez.

However, Jimenez stated that they are also implementing the policy of the IATF which states that unvaccinated personnel must present an RT-PCR or an anti-gen test with negative results before reporting on site.

In possibly pushing through with the 100 percent implementation of limited faceto-face classes in the entire region, students that attend the limited face-to-face classes will not be required to be vaccinated.

“S a kl a se pu hon, di li jud si ya requirement sam ga bat a, sam gag i ni kan ann ga kin ahangl an vaccinated unya sila maka report on site, same with the teachers,” said Jimenez. —