MANILA, Philippines — Enrollment of students in public schools will proceed on June 1, Palace said Wednesday.
“Tuloy po yan dahil hindi naman po tayo pupuwede na walang preparasyon (That will proceed because we have to prepare),” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an interview over Teleradyo, when asked if enrollment will proceed on June 1.
The Department of Education (DepEd) has scheduled a month-long enrollment period for students in public schools nationwide from June 1 to 30.
The opening of classes, whether physically or virtually, is set on August 24.
“Sa atin po, kailangan tuloy pa rin ang preparasyon pero gaya ng aking nasabi, ayan po, sumipa po ang numero ng COVID-19 (cases). Madali naman po ‘yang ‘wag ituloy. Naghahanda po tayo sa possibility ng both face-to-face at saka blended learning,” Roque said.
(For us, we need to continue our preparation, but like I said, the number of COVID-19 cases has risen again. It’s easy to discontinue this. We are just readying for the possibility of both face-to-face and blended learning.)
During a public address, President Rodrigo Duterte said he is not inclined to resume classes if there is still no vaccine COVID-19.
Roque clarified on Tuesday this meant that no no face-to-face classes will be held as long as the country is still under any community quarantine.
But Roque said this does not mean that education will completely be hampered since the use of other platforms like radio, television and the internet will be utilized.
Roque added that the government is looking at establishing “make-shift classrooms” in barangays for students who have limited or do not have access to the internet.
The Philippines on Tuesday recorded 350 new cases of COVID-19, the highest single-day tally since April 6.
The total number of COVID-19 infections nationwide is at 14,669 with 886 deaths and 3,412 recoveries. / EDV