THE DEPARTMENT of Education on Tuesday welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval of face-to-face classes in areas with low Covid19 cases in January 2021.

“The pilot implementation will only take place in areas under Modified General Community Quarantine or categorized as low-risk areas, following stringent health and safety standards,” the department said in a statement.

“There must also be a commitment for shared responsibility of DepEd, the local government unit, and the parents or guardians,” it added.

The agency said that students will not be compelled to participate in the dry run.

Schools will require the consent of parents for students to join the limited face-to-face classes, it said.

“For schools, there must be a well-documented report of readiness, including risk classification, documentation of acknowledgment of shared responsibility, students and classroom management plan, and health standard requirements at home, during travel, and in school premises,” the department said.

DepEd regional directors have identified the schools that met the guidelines and conditions laid by the department. The schools that will participate in the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes will be announced within the month.

“Once selected, the participating schools, local government units, learners, and parents will undergo a thorough process of orientation, mobilization, and readiness confirmation before the actual implementation,” the Deped said.

“Recognizing that face-to-face classes remain a necessity for education, this pilot implementation in low-risk areas can help policymakers and the department in coming up with more comprehensive recommendations and initiatives for learning continuity moving forward,” it said.