2 public elementary schools, selected college program start F2F classes

Two public elementary schools in the city had started conducting limited face-to-face (F2F) classes on March 7 while 26 other primary and secondary schools are getting ready to reopen as the city transitions to the new normal two years after the pandemic started.

The Department of Education (DepEd) Baguio Schools Division under Supt. Federico Martin said Sto. Tomas and  Gibraltar elementary schools had been granted the authority on limited F2F learning after satisfying all the requirements under the department’s School Safety Assessment Tool (SSAT).

Martin said that among the public schools undergoing orientations and simulations are Sto. Tomas National High School-Senior High School-Technical-Vocational-Livelihood (TVL), Mil-an NHS (TVL), Happy Hallow Elem. School (ES), Spring Hills ES and Alfonso Tabora ES.

Among the schools that passed the SSAT as of March 6 as validated by the composite team and recommended to the DepEd city and regional offices were Fairview ES, Kias ES, Baguio Central School, Baguio City National High School, Baguio City Science HS (Stand Alone), Pines City NHS, Doña Aurora H. Bueno ES, Manuel A. Roxas ES and Quezon Hill ES.

Public School District Supervisor Jayre Rose Gueverra, Education Program Supervisor Mary Jane Malihod and Medical Officer IV Dr. Mary Libeney Sito said validation is ongoing for other public elementary and high schools and will also begin soon for private schools.

The validations aim to assess the schools’ level of preparedness based on the SSAT requirements which include the presence of an isolation room, health protocols, class schedules, contingency plan and a barangay resolution.

For higher education institutions (HEIs), the University of the Cordilleras announced that it opened F2F for engineering students taking up Engineering Laboratory and On-the-job Training Courses also last March 7.

F2F sessions had long begun for medical courses in the various colleges and universities.

Inspections are ongoing for other courses in St. Louis University and University of Baguio and Baguio Central University.

So far, the following UB criminology, engineering and architecture, hospitality and tourism programs, SLU engineering programs and BCU OJT and internship program in business administration and criminology programs completed the inspection requirement, and were given recommendation by the City Health Services Office.

The requirements for HEIs are a letter of support from the city government before proceeding to the Commission on Higher Education; submission of a letter of intent to CHED detailing when face-to-face will open, the number of students expected, and the courses, affidavit of undertaking; and school facilities inspection by the CHSO.

For review/tutorial centers and ESL schools, those under the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), must comply with the TESDA guidelines and others not under TESDA must comply with the city’s requirements that personnel and attendees must be fully vaccinated and establishments must secure safety seal certifications.  – Aileen P. Refuerzo