The expansion of limited face-to-face classes was a result of “high confidence” from President Rodrigo R. Duterte and education stakeholders on the successful pilot implementation in 287 public and private schools nationwide, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday.

In a statement, the DepEd said the pilot implementation from November 15 to December 20 last year gained satisfactory results and positive feedback from learners, teachers and parents.

“There was no recorded confirmed Covid-19 case among the 15,683 learners who participated in the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes,” the statement read.

The department’s evaluation showed that learners who participated in the pilot implementation had high level of attendance and performance.

The learners are also confident that they are safe against the virus during classes due to the implementation of health and safety protocols and improvements on teaching and learning strategies.

“The implementation also inculcated a culture of shared responsibility among the national government, parents and learners, the local government units (LGUs), teachers, school officials and staff, and other stakeholders in ensuring everyone’s safety and welfare,” the DepEd said.

The DepEd also thanked the Department of the Interior and Local Government for encouraging LGUs to support limited in-person classes and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for developing a responsive operational guideline on face-to-face learning delivery.

In her presentation to Duterte Monday night, Education Secretary Leonor Briones recommended the progressive expansion of limited face-to-face classes in areas placed under Alert Levels 1 and 2 not earlier than the first of week February.

Briones said the DepEd would first seek the “concurrence of the LGUs and the learners’ parents” before announcing additional face-to-face classes in eligible areas.

“Moving forward, we will continue our efforts in support of the vaccination drive of the national government since immunization is still a key element in boosting the confidence of community members for the return of face-to-face classes,” the DepEd statement read.

Duterte approved DepEd’s recommendation to expand limited face-to-face classes in areas under Alert Levels 1 and 2 by February. (PNA)