DepEd drafts learning continuity plan for safe reopening

The DepEd is drafting a learning continuity plan for the upcoming school year amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan stated that if the pandemic continues, safety concerns will take precedence over other issues.

Malaluan also mentioned the possibility of mass testing for learners and teachers to ensure safe reopening of classes, although the scope of this testing is yet to be determined.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian called for the inclusion of students, teachers, and school personnel in mass testing to prevent schools from becoming COVID-19 hotspots.

Gatchalian suggested that local health officers or DOH-accredited medical facilities should clear these groups before classes resume, with PhilHealth or local government units covering the costs.