The Department of Education-Central Visayas (DepEd-7) will start the expanded face-to-face (F2F) classes in 456 schools on February 21, an agency official said Wednesday.
About 91 percent of teaching and non-teaching personnel are now fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and parents have a high level of acceptance of schoolchildren’s inoculation.
DepEd-7 Regional Director Salustiano Jimenez said in a phone interview the inspiring outcome of the “Resbakuna Kids” inoculation program for those aged 5 to 11 calls for the transitioning to the new normal in learning modalities.
He said 441 public schools and 15 private learning institutions are joining the simultaneous kick-off of face-to-face classes. Under this new modality, pupils and students will be allowed to be physically present in the classrooms and interact with their teachers for at least two days a week.
Schools that will participate in the expanded face-to-face classes on Monday need to secure a safety seal from DepEd-7, ensure coordination with the agency and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) with regard to the imposition of the minimum health protocols at the campuses.
Jimenez recalled that only 80 out of more than 140 schools were able to participate in the initial implementation of in-person classes last January, as many of the schools were damaged by Typhoon Odette last December.
“If we are going to base on our surveys and interviews, of course, majority of our parents are for inoculation. So only a few don’t want their kids to be vaccinated. Those parents who are hesitant to get vaccinated are those who are also against vaccination for their kids,” he said.
Jimenez said some parents who are against inoculation invoked their personal belief, religion, or their pre-existing medical condition as reasons they are against vaccination.
“I am urging the parents to help our government secure our schoolchildren. DepEd is not advocating something that could harm our children. Vaccines are proven safe by medical experts. Let’s not listen to fake news saying that vaccine could make us zombies,” he said. (PNA)
