DepEd says it is on a voluntary basis
TACLOBAN CITY-At least 14 schools in the region were identified by the Department of Education (DepEd) as pilot schools for its face-to-face classes.
Jasmin Calzita, regional information officer of DepEd, said that of the 14 schools identified in the region, eight are in Samar province; and three each from the provinces of Southern Leyte and Leyte.
She, however, could not say yet as to how many students would be participating for this face-to-face classes setup as this would be ‘voluntary’ especially on the part of the parents.
“This is purely voluntary so we cannot yet determine how many will volunteer,” Calzita said.
She also declined to identify the schools where the face-to-face classes will be piloted January next year which is to last for a month.
Due to the threat of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, classes in the region and the rest of the country are being conducted either through online or modular to ensure that students and teachers would not acquire the dreaded virus.
It was learned that the schools identified as pilot areas for the face-to-face classes are located in areas considered as ‘low risk areas’ in terms of the coronavirus disease(COVID-19)cases; readiness of the school and its teachers and staff; request of the barangay or from the local government itself; and from no to low internet connection.
Meantime, the Department of Health in the region said that Eastern Visayas’ number of COVID-19 cases is now at 9,900 as 57 new cases were added on Friday.
Of the 57 new cases, 37 are from Leyte province; 13 from Samar; three each from Southern Leyte and Eastern Samar provinces; and one from Northern Samar.
The virus has already claimed 109 lives.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
