F2F Implementation: An Administrative Journey During Pandemic

After so many lockdowns and casualties brought by the pandemic, the world and the Philippines are breathing gradually towards recovery. With Covid-19 Alert Levels receding to level 1 since February 2022, the life and the system are getting the vibe on life before March 20, 2019. The education sector which is one of the badly hit sectors is now having a revival of how it is.

After two years and the alert level is on level 1, the government through the Department of Education has allowed the students to return to faceto-face classes vis-a-vis Face to Face Class Implementation. More and more schools are given permits to do the said activity provided they have passed the School Safety Assessment Tool (SSAT) to be concurred by the Regional F2F Class Composite Team.

Subsequently in our quest to better serve our champion students in Luis Hervias National High School, the school submits herself to the SSAT and through the Technical Assistance of Division F2F Class Composite Team. The Technical Working Group together with the Program Management Team started its planning phase in December last year. Discussions focused on the needed preparations on the conduct of face-to-face classes based on DepEd Memorandum no. 071 s. 2021. Separate teams were established to work on the standards set by the said assessment tools. Physical facilities were prepared alongside securing our documentary requirements.

The Revised School Safety Assessment Tool for the Progressive Expansion of the Face-to-Face classes was issued by DepEd last April 6, 2022. It aims to prepare the schools for the safe, effective, and efficient conduct of the face-to-face learning modality. Revised SSAT focuses on the four fundamental areas, namely: (a) Managing School Operations, (b) Focusing on Teaching and learning, (c) Well-being and protection, and (d) School-community coordination.

We seek the support of our LGU – City and Barangay units. The barangay government which would play a vital role in keeping order outside the school campus as students arrive in school and depart for home. Coordination with different DRRM Units and Health Emergency Response Team is also of equal importance. PTA, Alumni and other external stakeholders were encouraged to share their resources for our school to meet the standards of the health and safety protocols. Internally, the different school committees concerned with the school community’s health and safety were tasked to formulate their plan of action and submit their programs of work in consideration of its financial needs. As the school prepares its shift from distance learning modality to face-to-face classes, realignment of the institutions financial resource must be given attention.

The allocation of human resources also poses challenges. Simultaneously running face-to-face classes, alongside the distance learning modalities, would mean limiting the access of other teachers to other parts of the campus due to the bubble setup of the face-to-face classes. This is where the Alternative Work Arrangements come into play. Herviasanon Teachers can efficiently multi-task and hold different ancillary functions inside the bubble while the teachers who were not involved in the face-to-face classes will dispense their other tasks such as distributing and collecting modules to distance learners.

Parents and the learners also play an integral part of this program. Survey and orientations were conducted to inform them regarding the benefits of face-to-face learning modality. Parents must be active with the home-school coordination and communication to secure our learners. Learners on the other hand must follow the protocols laid out in order to ensure that the program will run smoothly.

The continuous vaccination of our populace is one of the major factors why we are now on alert level one. With that in mind, LHNHS in cooperation with the Philippine National Red Cross conducted a school-based vaccination program catering not only the learners and teachers but their family members and even individuals from the nearby puroks and communities.

After two years of no physical faceto-face classes, it is now time to bring back the learners to school. Different government agencies, the LGUs, schools and families, and other stakeholders must work hand in hand to ensure the successful return of our students to their classrooms.