THE DEPARTMENT of Education offices in Cordillera Administrative Region as well as Regions 1 and 2 assured the House Committee on North Luzon Growth Quadrangle that schools in their jurisdictions are ready to hold classes after being hit by a magnitude 7 earthquake last month.

DepEd Regional Director for CAR Estela Cariño gave the assurance during the committee hearing led by Ilocos Norte 2nd District Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba.

She said that schools were inspected and many were found to have safe classrooms for face-to-face classes.

In schools without quake damage, there will be five-day in-person classes. Health protocols, such as social distancing and hand sanitation, will be strictly observed.

In areas where schools were not declared safe, gyms were prepared for temporary classrooms.

Cariño added that they requested for tents from UNICEF to be used as temporary classrooms.

Dr. Benjamin Diaz-Paragas, Region 2 regional director, said that in their area, the Regional Office through the Schools Division Offices and Schools will transition the learning modalities to five days of in-person classes, blended learning modality or full distance learning.

On the other hand, Tolentino Aquino, regional director for Region 1, said that their physical preparations for school opening were done through Brigada Eskwela, Learning Recovery Plan that includes class programming through five-day in-person classes per week, blended learning, and full distance learning.

Barba urged the officials to ensure the safe return of students and teachers.

“Let us all give our youth the freedom to enjoy their childhood with their friends and peers and most especially their right to education,” he said.