DepEd Plans AM / PM Classroom Shifts

Michael Poa, DepEd spokesman, said this is one of the interventions that they are considering to address possible classroom shortages when full in-person classes are implemented in the upcoming 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,” Michael Poa 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,” he added.

He said the plan is to implement a double shift policy, although he did not discount the possibility of having three shifts in extreme cases.

“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.

The DepEd has yet to release detailed guidelines on class sizes for the school year, although an earlier policy issued by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte stated that “physical distancing shall be implemented whenever possible.”