2.1 million students return to their classrooms in Central Visayas

LOOK: A classroom Canduman National High School in Mandaue City is once again filled with students on November 2, 2022 during the first day of the full implementation of face-to-face classes. | CDN Digital Photo by Mary Rose Sagarino

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Around 2.1 million students in Central Visayas returned to their schools on the first day of the full implementation of in-person classes on Wednesday, November 2, 2022.

So far, the resumption of face-to-face classes in the region went smoothly on Wednesday, save for several concerns like the lack of classrooms, said Dr. Salustiano Jimenez, director of Department of Education in the region (DepEd-7). 

“So far, it was a systematic and successful implementation… Okay-okay nasad ang weather,” said Jimenez. 

DepEd-7 recorded at least 2.1 million students from Central Visayas who finally returned to their schools after two years of COVID-induced lockdowns. Of this number, 1.9 million happened to be those enrolled in public schools.

According to DepEd-7, all public schools in the region were able to welcome back students on Wednesday, except for one in Tagbilaran City, Bohol. 

“Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School in Tagbilaran City because they are still waiting for the turnover sa building but eventually, they can resume classes before the school year ends,” explained Jimenez. 

For private schools in Central Visayas, only 75 percent have managed to return to the traditional style of teaching, Jimenez said. 

Face-to-face classes returned last August but in a limited capacity only. This time, schools have been allowed to resume their pre-pandemic operations. 

Lack of classrooms

Some of the challenges educational institutions here continue to deal with included the lack of classrooms, problems that have surfaced even before the pandemic came. 

In Pardo National High School in Cebu City, they needed 70 more classrooms to accommodate all of its 5,000 students. The school required 111 classrooms but on Wednesday, they have been using only 40.

In neighboring Mandaue City, the lack of classrooms prompted at least four public schools there to conduct classes in shifts. One of them was Canduman National High School whose students enter the classrooms in shifting schedules – from 6 a.m to 11 a.m; 11:15 a.m to 4:30 p.m; and 4:30 p.m to 9:30 p.m. / with reports from Wenilyn Sabalo, Mary Rose Sagarino 

/bmjo

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