GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 10 March) – The Department of Education (DepEd) city division is seeking endorsement from the local government for the inclusion of two local schools in the proposed pilot implementation of the limited face-to-face classes.
General Santos City. Map courtesy of Google
Romelito Flores, DepEd city division superintendent, said they have identified the Aspang Elementary School and Aspang High School in Barangay San Jose as sites for the test run of the initiative.
He said they need a resolution of support from the city council and approval from the local government regarding the matter.
In a presentation to the city council on Tuesday, Flores said the selected the two schools due to their readiness in terms of conducting the limited face-to-face classes.
He said the area, specifically Purok Aspang in San Jose, has not recorded any confirmed case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the health protocols are already in place in the school premises.
The schools have enough classrooms to accommodate 15 to 20 learners and have installed support facilities, among them the hand washing or sanitation areas.
Based on the proposed system, Flores said the learners will be divided into two groups, with one attending the pilot classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the other on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
The two schools have around 200 combined learners from Grades 1 to 10 and 12 assigned teachers.
“The main considerations are the regular wearing of face masks and face shields for everyone, and the no entry policy in the school premises will be strictly implemented,” the official said.
He said they have advised the teachers who are living in communities outside the area to consider staying in the school as they could become potential carriers of COVID-19.
Flores said they are continually reviewing their plans and making the necessary adjustments while waiting for the go-signal from their central office and President Rodrigo Duterte.
DepEd initially scheduled a dry run last January for the pilot limited face-to-face classes but called it off on orders from the President.
City Councilor Jose Edmar Yumang expressed support to the plans and the preparations of the DepEd city division for the initiative.
He vowed to sponsor a resolution endorsing and supporting the selection of Aspang Elementary School and Aspang High School as its pilot sites.
The city currently has a total 178,622 enrolled learners, with 155,751 enrolled in public and 22,871 in private schools, who are taking various alternative modes of learning due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
These are the modular, online and the blended modes, which are supplemented by television and radio-based instruction. Over 70 percent or majority of the learners are under the modular mode. (MindaNews)
