President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the proposal to conduct pilot testing of limited face-to-face classes in areas considered to be low risk areas for the coronavirus disease in January 2021.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said that the dry run will take place in select areas. Attendance to face-to-face classes will be voluntary.

Students need parents approval before they can join a class. Roque clarifies that an area must be low-risk as of January for it to be considered for the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes.

Malacanang said that there is no date yet as to when the pilot testing will take place.

“The DepEd knows the resumption of face-to-face learning under certain conditions will be crucial to the learning process of our students… The social aspect of learning, together with face-to-face interaction with teachers and classmates, is still very important in this highly social activity,” Deped Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan told a Senate hearing last month.

Senators Win Gatchalian and Imee Marcos also push for the resumption of limited face-to-face learning due to blended learning problems.