Pilot face-to-face classes kicked off in 9 out of 11 Negros Occidental and Bacolod schools initially identified by the Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday, December, 6.
Negros Occidental Schools Superintendent Marsette Sabbaluca said pilot classes were unable to start in schools in San Carlos and Himamaylan cities because COVID-19 cases were detected in the communities where they are located.
Sabbaluca said 77 percent of the teachers under the Negros Occidental Schools Division have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines, while 64 percent have been fully vaccinated as of December 2.
Superintendent Gladys Amylaine Sales said 73 percent of the teachers in Bacolod City Schools Division have also been vaccinated.
Sabbaluca and Sales said all teachers are being urged to get vaccinated against COVID-19 for the eventual full return to face-to-face classes.
Sales said she is waiting for the guidelines from the National Inter-Agency Task Force that will require unvaccinated teachers to submit negative RT-PCR test results every two weeks at their own expense.
All teachers and students participating in the pilot face-to-face classes that started Monday are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Sabbaluca and Sales said.
In Bacolod face-to-face classes started for about 40 senior high school students at the Alangilan National High School Monday morning, Sales said.
They started face-to-face classes with grade 12 students because they are graduating and their skills and competencies need to be validated, Sales said.
If the initial face-to-face classes succeed more will be opened to allow additional students to return to school, Sales said.
She said the students were very excited and looking forward to the face-to-face classes.
Under the Negros Occidental Schools Division face-to-face classes started at the Valladolid National High School in Valladolid and the Aguntilang Elementary School in Isabela, Sabbaluca said.
Face-to-face classes also started at the Hiyang Hiyang Elementary School in Cadiz City, Mabini National High School – Escalante City, Calonia Divina Integrated School – Sagay City, Patag Diotay Elementary School – Silay City, Mauboy Elementary School – Sipalay City and Victorias National High School – Victorias City under different schools divisions in the province.
Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he hopes the face-to-face classes go well because from this experience the DepEd will decide whether to expand, which will also depend on the number of COVID-19 cases in an area and the preparedness of the schools.
“The fact that we have opened up face-to-face classes is a positive development,” he said.
Obviously students really want to go back to face-to-face classes where they perform better, Lacson said.*