THE DEPARTMENT of Education in Central Luzon will investigate the conduct of two face-to-face seminars where some participants got infected with Covid19.

DepEd said it formed a fact-finding team to probe the holding of the activity.

“The DepEd Regional Office 3 shall continuously monitor the compliance of all offices and schools with this directive to ensure that the risks of Covid19 transmission will be reduced if not eliminated as all teaching and non-teaching personnel continues serving in their respective stations,” it said in a statement.

The department prohibited face-to-face seminars and trainings until further notice. Officials were advised to use online platforms in conducting trainings and other seminars.

More than 400 participants were quarantined after the training held at a resort from March 2 to 6, according to provincial health officer Noel Bueno.

Bueno said that the source of the infections was a teacher who served as the guest speaker in both seminars.

Teachers’ Dignity Coalition chairman Benjo Basas questioned the holding of in-person seminar.

“Sino ngayon ang mananagot at magpapagamot?” he said.

As of Friday, March 19, 15 DepEd employees and seven workers in one of the resorts that hosted the seminar tested positive for Covid19.