Two schools in the province of Antique were among those included in the list of the Department of Education (DepEd) as pilot schools for the limited face-to-face classes amid the health pandemic.
“We welcome the identification of the DepEd of the two schools in Antique, which are the Igsoro Integrated School in Bugasong and the Mayabay Elementary School in Barbaza, for the limited face-to-face classes,” said DepEd Antique School Governance and Operations Division chief, Evelyn Remo, in an interview Thursday.
They will have the Kindergarten up to Grade 3 learners in the pilot limited face-to-face classes.
Currently, the Igsoro Integrated School has 33 Kindergarten learners, 41 in Grade 1, 40 in Grade 2, and 31 in Grade 3.
The Mayabay Elementary School has 20 Kindergarteners while their Grades 1 to 3 have less than 15 learners per level.
“For the pilot schools, we plan to hold alternate classes for the pupils,” she said.
Remo added that there will only be 12 Kindergarten learners attending face-to-face classes for a week and then another set of 12 for the following week.
For the Grade 1 to 3 levels, there will be 16 learners in each class.
“Other pupils, who are not having their face-to-face classes for that week will continue with their modular classes or blended learning,” Remo said.
The two schools were identified based on the assessment of the Department of Health (DOH) as not having any coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) case thus the pupils are safe.
These were the same schools recommended by the division last year.
“We are assuring the parents that their children will be safe during their face-to-face classes,” she said.
DepEd Superintendent Felisa Beriong is now conducting ocular inspections of the schools as part of their preparations to make sure that they are ready by Nov. 15, which is the tentative date for the start of the face-to-face classes, Remo added.
There will be thermal scanning and available alcohol right at the entrance of the school gates, classrooms are set up to ensure pupils have safe physical distancing, while teachers or school personnel are on alternative work arrangements.
Source: Philippines News Agency
