Briones to comply with pilot implementation of face-to-face classes

December 27, 2020

Education Secretary Leonor Briones confirmed the cancellation of the pilot implementation of the face-to-face classes next year following the order of President Rodrigo Duterte due to the threat of a new strain of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) monitored in the United Kingdom.

"We will implement the President's instruction to recall the limited face-to-face classes in the light of the recent development," Briones said in a text message to Presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

In a televised meeting with the cabinet members and medical professionals on Saturday, Duterte ordered the cancellation of the conduct of face-to-face classes because of the new strain of the Covid-19.

"I have allowed the face-to-face classes as pilot projects all over the country. With the new strain, true or not, maybe it’s true because it’s being validated in Germany and South Africa, UK, my order before to Sec. Briones that she can… If she is here, I’m calling back the order and I will not allow face-to-face classes of children until we are through with this…," said Duterte.

"We have to, I said, we have to know the nature of the germ that we are confronting. We do not know anything. I cannot take the risk of allowing the children. That would be a disaster actually. So mindful of that: I am cancelling the order I gave a few days ago --- a few weeks ago --- to Secretary Briones of the Education Department to suspend everything, all activities of children especially ‘yung face-to-face classes," he said.

It can be recalled that the Department of Education was previously eyed to conduct the dry-run for the physical classes in selected areas under the modified general community quarantine from January 11 to 23 next year. Robina Asido/DMS