No school in the Cordillera has been included for the pilot testing of face-to-face classes since the region remains to be under high-risk for Covid-19 infection.
Department of Education-Cordillera Director Estela Cariño said the regional office has submitted a list of 50 schools ideal for pilot testing but the central office has not endorsed any school in the Cordillera.
“It is unfortunate that because of the increase in Covid cases, our schools are classified under moderate, high, and critical,” Cariño said during a recent press conference of the DepEd.
The DepEd recently announced that 59 schools from six regions have been approved for the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes on Nov. 15.
The schools will open either as elementary school, junior high with senior high school, and Kindergarten.
DepEd earlier proposed to President Rodrigo Rodrigo Duterte a total of 120 schools for the pilot testing.
Cariño said DepEd will continue preparing for face-to-face classes to be conducted when the areas where schools are located are classified as low-risk sites.
She said DepEd officials have been going around various schools in the region especially the far-flung areas to evaluate the distance learning program and to also assess the situation of its personnel so necessary assistance could be provided.
She said the region’s preparation for face-to-face classes started last year due to the persistent request of some parents and guardians, especially those who cannot assist their children for various reasons.
“We can have face-to-face classes here if the pilot implementation is successful. It can expand to other areas and we continue to submit names of schools based on their health risk classifications,” she said.
The Department of Health reported on Oct. 5 that the Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, Ilocos, Mimaropa, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Bicol remain high-risk regions. – Ofelia C. Empian
