THE DEPARTMENT of Education suspended classes in La Union and Dagupan City amid the surge in Covid19 cases.

La Union schools division Superintendent Donato Balderas Jr. said online and face-to-face classes as well as training and other activities in public schools in the province are suspended from Jan. 17 to 29.

Meanwhile, private schools can make their own decision in suspending classes based on the situation on the ground.

Balderas advised teachers and students to stay at home for their health and safety.

Dagupan City Mayor Marc Brian Lim also declared an academic break from elementary to senior high school starting Jan. 17 until Jan. 25.

The class suspension was announced after four divisions officers and four teachers tested positive for Covid19. He said that 200 teaching and non-teaching personnel and 1,000 students are experiencing flu-like symptoms.

“The week-long academic health break is intended not only to afford students and teaching and non-teaching personnel of public and private academic institutions in the city of Dagupan a respite from physical and mental fatigue caused by the pandemic,” the mayor said in his order.

“It will also afford them sufficient time in determining much-needed recalibrating of minimum public health protocols in the academic institutions to protect their personnel and clientele from the transmission of Covid19,” he added.