Face-to-face classes might resume in 2021 but final say from Duterte: Palace

Preparations for the resumption of face-to-face classes early next year are underway, Malacañang said Tuesday even as it noted that the final decision on the matter would be up to President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Department of Education (DepEd) is preparing for the possible resumption of face-to-face classes in 2021 but the government will still review the country’s COVID-19 situation before it allows students to return to schools, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque.

“Patuloy naman po ang paghahanda d’yan bagama’t ang desisyon po ay talagang magiging desisyon pa rin ng Presidente,” Roque said during a Palace press briefing.

(The preparations for that continue although the decision is really up to the President.)

The Philippines this year shifted to distance learning as it shunned face-to-face classes due to the threat of COVID-19. Back in July, President Duterte said he would allow face-to-face classes in areas classified as having low-risk of COVID-19 by January 2021.

At the time, Duterte said the decision was based on the assumption that a COVID-19 vaccine would be available by September. But so far, no COVID-19 vaccine has been made available to the world.

“Titingnan po natin kung anong magiging development. Ang DepEd naman po, patuloy ang paghahanda. Pero tingnan po natin kung ano ang actual condition pagdating po ng prevalence ng coronavirus sa iba’t ibang parte ng bansa,” Roque said.

(We’ll see what the development will be. DepEd will continue its preparations but let’s see the actual condition on the prevalence of coronavirus in various parts of the Philippines.)