Start of limited F2F classes smooth — DepEd Cebu City

Students in the Mangabon Elementary School in Cebu City experience face-to-face classes for the first since the COVID-19 pandemic struck two years ago. | Photo Courtesy of DepEd Cebu City

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The start of the limited face-to-face (F2F) classes in selected Cebu City public schools went without a hitch according to the Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu City division.

Assistant Superintendent Bernadette Susvilla said that she inspected certain schools on May 16, 2022, to see how the 13 pilot schools were able to implement the F2F classes.

These pilot schools included the Sibugay Integrated School, Pamutan Integrated School, Mangabon Elementary School, Cantipla Integrated School, Tabunan Integrated School, Sinsin National High School, Deosis Elementary School, Lusaran National High School, Tagbao National High School, Taptap Integrated School, Sinsin Elementary School, Adlaon Integrated School, and Bitlang Integrated School.

“Successful ang implementation nato sa limited face-to-face. Nindot kaayo ang dagan kay ang mga bata nato excited. Lipay kaayo sila for the first time this school year, nabalik sila sa atong mga eskwelahan,” said Susvilla.

The teachers, who are fully vaccinated, have been able to handle the classes well because only a limited number of fully vaccinated have been allowed to participate in the experimental program, says Susvilla.

She also noted that the 13 schools received their safety seals recently, which means that they have the protocols set in place for F2F classes and their barangays have not recorded any COVID-19 cases in the past two months.

For now, schools have opted to open only one section per grade level, some choosing a whole day program while others employing an alternate schedule.

This way, the schools can study the various ways they may implement hybrid learning, a mix of F2F with modular and/or online learning, in the next school year.

The schools have been given a minimum of two weeks to implement the limited F2F classes and gather the necessary data, but they may continue holding the F2F classes until the end of the school year in July 2022.

DepEd Cebu City Superintendent Rhea Angtud said that by May 30, 2022, at least 37 more schools in the city will implement the F2F classes but these will already include the urban barangays.

Starting June 30, 2022, all Cebu City public schools will implement the limited F2F classes until the end of the school year in July 2022.

Angtud said the goal is for all schools to be holding limited or even full F2F classes by next school year, which will depend now on the incoming administration of the national DepEd.  /rcg

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