The face-to-face classes for the next school year will still push through even if the alert status in some areas is raised to Alert Level 2, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.

“Doon sa protocol natin, safe pa rin ang face-to-face classes as long as Alert Level 1 and 2. Kapag tayo ay nag-Alert Level 3, automatic na sususpendihin natin ang ating in-person classes,” DepEd Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma said.

Last May, DepEd announced that it expects all schools to resume face-to-face classes in the upcoming school year.

“Sa ating inilabas na pahayag, ang ating indicative phase na opening of schools ay August 24 pero hindi pa final date ‘yan,” he said.

“Pero ‘yung mga private schools natin, puwede sila magbukas ng klase nang mas maaga doon sa takdang araw ng idedeklara ng ating Pangulo basta hindi ito mas maaga sa Hunyo at hindi magiging later than September,” he added.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said regional offices will come up with different approaches and modalities based on the assessment of the Department of Health and local governments in their areas.

As of May, Briones said that at least 73 percent of public schools have resumed physical classes.

Meanwhile, Garma said that the official date of the resumption of F2F classes for the next school year is yet to be announced by President-elect Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.