Michael Poa, a spokesman for the Department of Education, stated that a double shift policy would be implemented, though he did not rule out the idea of having three shifts in exceptional circumstances.
If the Department of Education (DepEd) follows through with its proposal to re-implement the double shift policy to alleviate classroom congestion, morning and afternoon class schedules may return in public schools.
This is one of the treatments being looked at by DepEd, according to spokesperson Michael Poa, to address potential classroom shortages when full-in-person classrooms are adopted in the forthcoming school year.
“We are considering shifting. We will have shifts like what we used to do. Some will go to class in the morning, then the other learners will come in the afternoon,” Poa, stated partly in Filipino.
Additionally, he said, “This is to try to make sure that we still will be able to comply with the minimum health and safety standards, including physical distancing.”
Several organizations have voiced opposition to the DepEd’s proposal to require face-to-face instruction beginning on November 2, claiming a lack of classroom space that may hinder pupils from engaging in social distancing.
Poa acknowledged the issue of a lack of classrooms, particularly in densely populated places like Metro Manila and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon or Region 4-A).
He stated the objective is to establish a double shift policy, however he did not eliminate the idea of having three shifts in exceptional instances.
“We’re looking at two shifts at the moment because having three shifts may result in students going home late or class schedules having compressed hours. So right now, what we’re really planning is two shifts per day unless absolutely necessary,” he said.
However, a previous regulation established by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte specified that “physical distance will be adopted whenever practicable.” The DepEd has not yet released specific recommendations on class numbers for the upcoming school year.
It changed the organization’s earlier rule requiring occupied chairs to be one to two meters apart when conducting face-to-face classes during the pandemic. Additionally, it limited the number of students allowed in each classroom to 20.
Classes typically have between 30 and 40 students before the pandemic, but some have as many as 60.
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers highlighted that due to a lack of classrooms, the increase in public school enrolment during the epidemic may lead to as many as 70 kids in some classes.
