THE DEPARTMENT of Education ended the pilot face-to-face classes on Friday and is preparing a report that will be submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte.

It is hopeful that the conduct of limited physical classes will be expandes next year.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News, DepEd Planning Service Director Roger Masapol said that the report will contain the findings during the pilot phase of in-person classes from Nov. 15 to Dec. 17.

There were 287 schools that participated in the program. Only students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 and Senior High School were allowed to attend in-person classes.

Masapol said that more schools may be allowed to hold in-person classes next month.

“Halimbawa, by first week ng January, mayroong hundreds of schools ang nag-qualify na. They can start already. And then by the second week, mayroon another 100, they can start,” Masapol said.

“It’s progressive expansion until maisa-isa natin iyong ready na makapag-start na ng in-person classes,” he said.

The “progressive expansion” will also cover private schools, institutions offering special education, and the Alternative Learning System.

Schools need to accomplish the DepEd’s safety assessment tool, and must get consent from the local government unit and students’ parents before restarting classroom sessions.