The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday reported that 90 schools so far were ready to participate in the pilot of limited face-to-face (F2F) classes next month.

Initially, the DepEd selected about 600 schools from a pool of over 1,900 nominated schools to launch the in-person classes.

The 90 schools were identified following a risk assessment conducted by the DepEd, Department of Health and local government units (LGUs), Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

“As of now, iyong objective natin na maka-reach ng 100 schools, public schools, ay 90 na ang ating na-identify,” she said in a Palace briefing.

Briones explained that to conduct F2F classes, LGUs must first give their go signal, schools must retrofit their facilities and parents must give consent to send their children to school.

“Walang sapilitan ito, kailangan na pumayag ang mga parents na ang kanilang anak ay sasali,” she said.

Briones added that 93.2 percent of the 90 schools’ personnel were already vaccinated.

The DepEd is also looking at the possibility of including private schools in the F2F pilot.

The limited F2F classes will commence on Nov. 15. John Ezekiel J. Hirro