All schools in Ilocos Norte have now returned to daily in-person classes with the optional wearing of masks indoors.

Sharing her excitement on the resumption of full face-to-face classes at all levels, Schools Division Superintendent Joann Corpuz said Thursday the first day of daily face-to-face (F2F) classes on Wednesday was a success.

“It is a great pleasure that we have resumed full face-to-face classes. Our teachers and learners have a lot of catching up to do now that they are all back to school,” she said.

Corpuz, along with her team from the Schools Division Office, earlier visited several schools in the province to ensure that everything is in place for the full implementation of F2F classes.

Students at the Abaca Elementary School in Bangui and the Luzong Elementary School in Pagudpud received hygiene kits courtesy of the Northwind Power Development Corporation and the North Luzon Renewable Energy Corporation, during the kick-off of their Balik Eskwela program.

Under the program, 20 other elementary schools within the host communities or around the transmission lines of the Bangui and Pagudpud wind farms will be given around 2,500 hygiene kits in the next few days.

As she thanked the sponsors, Corpuz said the event was a manifestation of the shared responsibility advocacy of the Department of Education and the strong partnership with the private sector and community members.

Meanwhile, Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc assured his administration’s full support for the education sector.

“We will work towards ensuring that all our kids have sufficient materials. Kids should be back in school. Kids should be with fellow kids and not just with parents and their tablets, gadgets,” he said, noting that the Ilocos Norte government will continue to invest in education. (PNA)