CAVITE — The Department of Education has suspended classes in all grade levels from January 17 to 29 in Calabarzon amid the spike of COVID-19 cases in the region.

Calabarzon includes the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.

• DepEd allows localized class suspensions amid COVID-19 surge

In a memorandum signed by Regional Director Francis Cesar Bringas, the DepEd said the suspension is part of the region’s “initiative for safe operations and well-being of stakeholders.”

“This suspension includes all other school activities, whether physical or virtual (online), that involve school-based personnel, learners, and parents,” it said.

The scheduled midyear break on January 31 to February 5 shall remain, it added.

“Schools Division Offices are encouraged to do necessary adjustments in the implementation of the curriculum after these suspension dates particularly when new directives are issued,” DepEd said.

• 2-week quarantine 'health break' in Alert Level 3 schools urged

Meanwhile, private schools were also encouraged to exercise their own discretion on suspending classes depending on the COVID-19 situations in their respective areas.

Earlier, the DepEd main office released a memorandum allowing its local officials to suspend classes and other teaching-related activities based on their reliable assessment of health status of their teachers and learners, and the prevailing COVID-19 risk classification of their locality.

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