The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) said its member schools are getting ready for the return of face-to-face classes in February.
“Our schools have been preparing for limited face-to-face (classes) because we know that this is going to be part of the hybrid system that we have to live with for the next few years until COVID is clear,” said Jose Allan Arellano, CEAP executive director.
In an interview over Radio Veritas 846, Arellano said almost all of its 1,500 school members are preparing for the “new normal,” starting with “limited face-to-face” sessions.
He said the prohibition of the physical presence of students in schools have resulted in negative impacts on their education.
“The students do not have the complete grasps of what they’re suppose to learn … without the direct guidance of teachers,” said Arellano.
CEAP has earlier expressed support for the proposed expansion of limited face-to-face classes in areas under health alert levels 1 and 2 starting next month.
“The students should already go back to school, especially in areas that have been declared as level 1 or level 2,” said Arellano.
The Education department this week said face-to-face classes will be under an “expansion phase” with more schools joining next month.
“We will proceed with the face-to-face classes. In fact, we now call it the expanded face-to-face approach or stage,” said Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla in a separate radio interview.
There were 287 public and private schools that participated in the conduct of pilot face-to-face classes from November 15 to December 20 last year.
The education department plans to include more grade levels in the expanded face-to-face classes next month.
