MANILA — The Department of Education on Friday said it would pitch to President Rodrigo Duterte the “progressive expansion” of face-to-face classes.

The agency is just waiting for the health department’s COVID-19 outlook, which it expects to receive during a meeting on Monday, said Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan.

“But overall, iyong ating kinonsolidate na report that we are set to submit to the Office of the President, ay naging matagumpay iyong ating pilot face-to-face,” he said in a televised public briefing.

(But overall, based on the report which we consolidated and are set to submit to the Office of the President, the pilot face-to-face classes were successful.)

He said limited in-person classes received “very favorable” feedback in a survey among parents, teachers, and learners.

Based on the poll, the overall attendance of students was at 83 percent, while their feeling of safety was around 90 percent, Malaluan said.

He added that satisfaction with the implementation of health protocols was “high,” and confidence in continuing face-to-face classes was “very high.”

“There will be some refinements on very aspects kagaya nung paglalagay ng mga (like the placement of) physical barriers and so on, and addressing some challenges,” said the DepEd official.

“But subject lang doon sa aming pagpupulong with DOH on Monday ay the Department of Education… we can recommend and we will strongly push for the progressive expansion of the face-to-face classes,” he continued.

(Just subject to our meeting with the DOH on Monday, the Department of Education, we can recommend and we will strongly push for the progressive expansion of the face-to-face classes.)

It was however unclear if the poll was conducted before the January COVID surge, when virus infections set new record-highs.

Video courtesy of PTV

He said the DepEd wants to submit its report to Duterte’s office “with the full concurrence” of the health department.

Twenty-eight public schools in Metro Manila joined face-to-face classes in December. The pilot was suspended in early January, as COVID-19 cases spiked in the region.

Limited face-to-face classes continue in other areas under COVID-19 Alert 2.

The DepEd has given schools and local education officials leeway to suspend classes for up to 2 weeks to cope with the ongoing spike in coronavirus infections.

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