DepEd says ‘half-day classes only’ if Duterte green lights suspended face-to-face classes pilot run

On Wednesday, Feb. 3, DepEd Undersecretary and Spokesperson Nepomuceno Malaluan said that students would only be allowed to stay in schools for half a day if the implementation of the proposed face-to-face classes pilot run pushes through.

The class schedules will vary between schools but the general rule will be that the face-to-face classes will be for a maximum of half-day only,

Malaluan told the Senate committee on basic education. 

Malaluan said that their decision to make the students stay in schools for a half day only was for learners to take their lunch at home rather than at school because such setting may increase the risk of contracting the virus.

So the students will have to go home—if their schedule is in the morning, to have their lunch at home or those that are coming for an afternoon schedule should have eaten already their lunch at home,

he further explained. 

According to DepEd’s presentation during the hearing, a maximum of 50 schools per region would be allowed to participate in the pilot run and a maximum of 20 students would be allowed per class depending on the size of a classroom with stricter protocol on physical distancing.

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However, Malaluan stressed that this plans would only be executed if Pres. Rodrigo Duterte decides to lift the postponement of the limited face-to-face classes pilot run.