The Department of Education’s (DepEd) proposal to expand limited face-to-face (F2F) classes in areas under Alert Level 2 has been approved by President Rodrigo Duterte, the Palace announced on Tuesday.
Acting Palace spokesman Karlo Nograles said the president had “no objection” to the recommendation.
On Monday night, Education Secretary Leonor Briones, citing the success of the pilot of limited F2F classes, said the DepEd wanted to gradually expand in-person classes in areas under Alert Level 1 and 2.
“So ang aming rekomendasyon, Mr. President, progressive expansion. Hindi ‘yung lahat-lahat sabay-sabay. Kung ang isang lugar ay Alert Level 1 and 2, selective, puwedeng mag-expand ng F2F,” she said.
Briones added that the expansion of F2F classes in Alert Level 3 areas was not yet recommended.
The DepEd reported zero Covid-19 cases among the 15,000 students who participated in the pilot.
Nograles said the DepEd and the Department of Health (DOH) would have autonomy in setting guidelines for the expansion of F2F classes.
“It will be the DepEd and the DOH combined who will be assessing the expansion or pilot implementation ng F2F classes under DepEd,” he said. John Ezekiel J. Hirro