By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Negros Occidental is continuing their validation of all public schools in the province as part of the preparations for the resumption of 100 percent face-to-face (F2F) classes in all levels by November of this year.
Ian Arnold Arnaiz, DepEd-Negros Occidental public relations officer, said they are hoping that before the opening of the next school year, they can validate 100 percent of all the schools under the division.
If they are approved, they can open all schools for F2F classes, he said.
Arnaiz said that last school year, there were 52 schools under their division that have implemented limited F2F classes.
There are a total of 481 elementary schools and 100 high schools under the province’s schools division.
“As to whether all students in Negros Occidental can go to school when classes open on August, we still have schools affected by [super typhoon] ‘Odette’ last December. There were still many schools that need to be repaired,” Arnaiz added.
Yesterday, the DepEd central office announced that the school year 2022-2023 will open on Monday, August 22, 2022, and will end on July 7, 2023.
DepEd said the upcoming school year has a total of 203 school days or as may be determined by further issuances in case of changes in the school calendar due to unforeseen circumstances.
Earlier on Monday, July 11, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson had said that if President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. wants the full resumption of F2F classes, then the DepEd must exert all efforts to make it happen.
With COVID-19 vaccination among minors being one of the key factors for the resumption of F2F classes, Lacson said that as of present the province had yet to cover the vaccination of minors in the province.
He said he plans to hold a meeting with the relevant parties in order to find a way to expand the vaccination coverage for minors in the province.
“Right now [the province] already has F2F classes pero minimal pa. I understand what the president wants is 100 percent F2F, so I will call a meeting with DepEd to discuss if it is possible,” Lacson said./DGB, WDJ