MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education on Wednesday said that blended learning, including some face-to-face classes, in private schools with small class sizes is up to the approval of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
The institutions being referred to specifically were International Baccalaureate schools in Metro Manila. The International Baccalaureate Organization recommended that class sizes range from 15 to 20 students.
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DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan told ABS-CBN that much of the decision-making for the resumption of classes on August 24 is still ongoing.
"This is still a continuing policy discussion...when we near that time of August 24, if there will be a change or reconsideration on the part of the president then that will be considered. The [education] secretary as you might note is giving the president constant updates on our readiness for August 24," he said.
President Rodrigo Duterte in May announced that there would be no face-to-face classes until a vaccine for the novel coronavirus becomes available. DepEd as recently as Monday reiterated the president's statement on the matter.
Experts from the medical and pharmaceutical industry have said that a vaccine may become available as soon as 2021 but called such an outcome a long shot.
DepEd announced its plans to implement alternatives such as online classes, printed modules or learning through television and radio to ensure that education will continue.
A total of 10.6 million learners have enrolled for the coming school year, according to Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones.
The school year 2020-2021 is scheduled to formally open on August 24 although there is legislation in place to push the date back if necessary.
As it stands, there are 26,781 cases of COVID-19 and a death toll of 1,103 in the Philippines.