Education officials in Palawan and Puerto Princesa said they had compiled a list of schools that will participate in the Department of Education’s (DepEd) next round of pilot testing, which will decide if eligible schools can offer restricted face-to-face classes.
President Rodrigo Duterte recently gave his permission for DepEd to undertake a pilot test on 120 public schools to see whether they can hold face-to-face classes despite the continuing COVID-19 epidemic.
For the municipalities, 80 schools have been shortlisted by the Palawan Schools Division Office (SDO), according to OIC Assistant Schools Division Superintendent (ASDS) Arnie Ventura. For the city SDO, 10 schools were recommended, said city DepEd spokesperson Gina Francisco.
Ventura explained that the process of recommending schools for the pilot test is not an easy matter. Schools need to be endorsed by their local government units and must have access to a health facility.
“15 students per grade level lang din naman kasi ang i-aallow, sakaling pumasa sa pilot test. Tapos, kailangan may endorsement pa ‘yan dapat sa Sangguniang Bayan, sa LGU, at kailangan malapit pa sa health unit, sa BHW (barangay health worker),” Ventura said in an interview on Monday.
“Kung tutuusin, ang dami talagang pagdadaanan para lang sa 15 students per class. Kaya, we have to consider din ‘yong other factors, such as ‘yong mga teachers, kung OK ba sa kanila na ganoon,” he added.
Schools recommended by the city SDO are as follows:
- Baruang Elementary School
- Simpokan Elementary School
- Gregorio Oquendo Memorial Elementary School
- Manggapin Elementary School
- Cabayugan Elementary School
- Babuyan National High School
- Matahimik-Bucana High School
- Simpucan National High School
- Lucbuan Elementary School
- Macarascas Elementary School
Previously, DepEd Regional Director Nicolas Capulong stated that according to a survey conducted by the DepEd, kindergarten to Grade Three students, and senior high school students, struggled the most with non-face-to-face learning. He also stated that if a pilot test were to be held, these groups would be the first to be tested.
