Department of Education Bohol schools division superintendent Dr. Bianito Dagatan reveals that in the event face-to-face classes will be allowed, it will not be automatically implemented in the entire division and will need the concurrence of the local government units (LGU) and the parents-teachers association (PTA) for it to happen.
Dagatan made the statement in a radio interview on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020 over Open Forum program hosted by The Bohol Tribune managing editor Ardy Batoy and associate editor Dave Albarado.
Dagatan added that there is a possibility that face-to-face classes may resume by January 2021. But he quickly said that the implementation of this type of teacher-student interaction would be more likely to happen in the hinterland areas or island barangays known to have zero Coronavirus disease (Covid) cases.
He qualified his statement that the LGU and the PTA need to agree on the resumption of the face-to-face classes.
Face-to-face teacher and student engagements are disallowed for the meantime while the Covid pandemic remains a threat to public health given the fact that there are no regularly-available vaccines and even medicines.
As an alternative, the DepEd implements the so-called “blended learning” where lessons are delivered via modules or online.
The possibility of the resumption of the face-to-face classes came about when Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said that President Duterte will be the one who makes the final decision whether or not face-to-face classes will be allowed in the country amid the Covid pandemic.
Roque, during a press briefing on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, said that preparations for the resumption of face-to-face classes are underway, but the final decision will come from the president.
The spokesman said the idea of having face-to-face classes came about as the Department of Health (DOH) intends to place the entire country under modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) by the first quarter of next year.
Classes in all public schools resumed on Oct. 5, 2020. Yet, the classrooms remain empty of learners with parents or guardians taking a more active role in the learners’ education under the blended learning regimen.
In a related development, Dagatan said the division has decided to let the students take a minimum number of activities in the modules.
He said that there is no need for the learners to accomplish all of the activities included in the modules.
While he encourages the learners to finish all activities in the modules, there are learners who may not be able to cope with accomplishing all the tasks.