AFTER nearly two years of distance learning, 10 public schools in Cagayan and Isabela provinces will start limited physical classes on Monday, December 6.

Dr. Ben Paragas, Department of Education director in Cagayan Valley, said simulation classes were held in these selected schools.

“The participating schools for face-to-face classes passed safety assessments by the Department of Education and the Department of Health,” Paragas said.

The schools included in the pilot run are the Tabang Integrated School and Namuccayan Integrated School in Santo Niño, Cagayan; San Antonio Elementary School, San Lorenzo Elementary School, and Santa Isabel Elementary School in Ilagan, Isabela; and Villa Flor Elementary School, Cassap Fuera Elementary School, Maligaya Elementary School Annex, Devera Elementary School, and Pinoma National High School, all in Cauayan City, Isabela.

At least 177 schools, including 28 in Metro Manila, will join the expansion phase of limited onsite learning.

Around 100 public schools in Covid19 low-risk areas joined the pilot implementation on November 15. A week later, 18 private schools also resumed in-person classes.

The assessment period for the initial run of pilot face-to-face classes will be until December 22, 2021. The pilot study is set to end on January 31, 2022, the DepEd said.