DepEd: 94% of NCR public schools resume full face-to-face classes

Ninety-four percent of the public schools in the National Capital Region (NCR) have resumed the conduct of the five-day in-person classes on Wednesday, more than two years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citing the NCR regional director, Department of Education (DepEd) spokesperson Michael Poa said these public schools are now operating at full capacity, meaning 100% of their students have come back to study in their respective schools.

So far, Poa said the return of the mandatory face-to-face classes in public schools starting November 2, has been orderly.

The agency is also waiting for updates from their regional offices regarding the situations in schools in other parts of the country.

“Sa ngayon po, maayos naman po ang resumption ng ating classes so far. Naghihintay rin po kami ng feedback from our regional directors, para po kung may challenges encountered man ay matugunan agad,” Poa said in a message to reporters.

(Right now, the resumption of our classes is going well so far. We are also awaiting feedback from our regional directors, so that if there are any challenges encountered, they can be addressed immediately.)

On Tuesday, the Education Department admitted there is still a shortage of classrooms and teachers in several public schools, but said the implementation of the five-day full face-to-face classes would still push through.

In Quezon City, DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Jenilyn Rose Corpuz said there were 10 out of 158 schools that could not implement the full face-to-face classes due to lack in classrooms.

Among these schools was the Batasan National High School, with some classrooms having to be partitioned into two just to address the shortage.

Payatas B Elementary School Principal, meanwhile, has to implement shifting in class schedules — Grade 6 students will attend classes in the morning and Grade 5 students in the afternoon.

With the resumption of full in-person classes, DepEd confirmed Tuesday that students and teachers may now opt to remove their face masks even in classrooms, in accordance with the existing national policy. — RSJ, GMA News