Antiqueños welcomed the face-to-face classes this school year as announced by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in his first State of the Nation Address on Monday.

Provincial Board Member Mayella Mae Plameras-Ladislao said the face-to-face classes will be advantageous to Grade-level learners as “there are laboratory equipment available only in the schools that learners need to be able to use so they could relate to their lessons.”

Plameras-Ladislao, a doctor by profession, said her advocacy on mental health could be attained through the learners’ interaction with their classmates being social human beings.

She added that learning the English language should also be honed among students for better communication skills, especially in their future workplace.

“There is also a need for more teachers’ refresher courses or training so they would be adept in teaching their learners,” she said.

Galileo Magbanua, a parent of a Grade 12 learner, said the plan to have face-to-face classes is necessary for a learner to interact with the teacher and their peers.

“As a parent, I welcome the move of our Department of Education (DepEd) to have face-to-face classes because of the learnings they could get from their school and the environment,” he said.

Meanwhile, Evelyn Remo, DepEd Division of Antique School Governance and Operations chief, said they would implement the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) health protocols such as requiring the learners to undergo thermal scanning and have alcohol or handwashing at the school entrance gate and again before they enter their classrooms.

“We shall ensure the school safety and protection of our learners from Covid-19 during their face-to-face classes,” she said. (PNA)