MORE than 100 public schools in Zamboanga City will participate in the expanded phase of face-to-face classes, an education official said.

Students from Kindergarten to Grades 3, 11, and 12 will attend physical classes in 119 schools, Dr. Rosalio Conturno Jr., supervisor for school governance and operations chief of the City Schools Division, said.

“We are ready to conduct limited face-to-face classes once the alert level status of the city will be downgraded,” Conturo said.

On Sunday, the Inter-Agency Task Force Against Covid19 placed Zamboanga City under Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15.

Under Alert Level 1, physical classes in primary education is allowed subject to government approval.

Under the Interim Guidelines on the Expansion of Limited Face-to-Face Classes issued by the Department of Education, schools must pass the standards of the School Safety Assessment Tool to be able to conduct physical classes.

Schools should also be in areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2; have the concurrence of their respective local government unit and the consent of participants’ parents.

The DepEd has authorized schools to include other grade levels in public and private schools during the expansion phase.