THE Department of Education Leyte division has assured that its pilot schools are ready for the partial face-to-face classes that will start on Monday, November 15, 2021
Equipped and ready
The latest assessment by the department showed three schools, namely Palo I Central School in Palo, Bato Central School, and Dolho Elementary School, which are both in Bato, Leyte are prepared for classroom learning.
“The present conditions will satisfy the pilot phase, assuring that the school is at minimal Covid-19 risk areas, with the local government go signal, has passed the School Safety Assessment Tool, and has secured the parent’s consent,” says DepEd Leyte Schools Division Superintendent Manuel Albaño.
The official added that all teachers in the said school are fully vaccinated and the learners are reporting strictly voluntarily.
Limited exposure
The pilot testing is said to involve only 19 students from the three schools - 13 of which would be under the Indigenous Peoples Education program in Dolho Elementary School, four are Muslim learners under the Arabic Language and Islamic Values Education in Bato Central School, and two learners under the special education program for autism in Palo I Central School.
With a very limited number of students, several parents said that this has put them at ease as the department is doing its best to limit the exposure of their children to the possible threat of Covid-19.
Classrooms have also been primed to ensure compliance with the minimum public health standards.
Hand-in-hand
Aside from the PHP100,000 budget allotted by DepEd for each pilot class, the City Savings Bank has pledged to donate PHP25,000 to each campus for the purchase of hygiene kits to ensure the safety of both teachers and students despite the schools being at low-risk category.
“The internal and external partners of the schools are prepared to address whatever future challenges this trial run may face. As a result, Leyte schools are well-equipped and prepared for the pilot run of the face-to-face classes,” Albaño added.
At least 10 public schools in Eastern Visayas have been included in the list of campuses for face-to-face classes as announced by the Education department earlier.
Seven of the remaining schools are Dawo Integrated School, Macatingog Integrated School, Mawacat Elementary School, and Pilar Agricultural National High School in Calbayog City, Motiong Central Elementary School in the municipality of Motiong, San Sebastian Central Elementary School in San Sebastian; and Clarencio Calagos Memorial School of Fisheries in Santa Margarita in the province of Samar.