November 9, 2021— Located at Polillo Island in Quezon Province, Tamulaya Elementary School (TES) showcased its readiness to welcome back its learners on November 15 as it is set to participate in the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes.

During the ocular visit of DepEd officials headed by Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan and Planning Service Director Roger Masapol, TES displayed their retrofitted classrooms, handwashing facilities, and other health and safety protocols for the incoming face-to-face classes.

“This is not an inspection but a validation that our field units have implemented the Joint Memorandum Circular for the pilot implementation. I think it validates for us the framework of shared responsibility, kitang-kita natin ang pagtutulungan ng ating Regional and Division Offices, katuwang ang LGU at barangay, with the full support of the parents and teachers,” Usec. Malaluan shared.

“Bilang nanay ng bayan ng Polillo, ako po ay laging handang (hingan), tawagan, at kung ano po ang maitutulong ng pamahalaang lokal ako po ay palaging nandiyan,” Polillo Mayor Cristina Bosque said.

The local government unit of Polillo and Barangay Tamulaya teamed up to provide the necessary support that TES needs while ensuring that the surrounding communities are aware of the protocols once the pilot implementation starts. Barangay tanod and police officers are stationed in checkpoints in front of the school to maintain order and ensure that all will follow the set protocols.

According to school officials, all TES teaching and non-teaching personnel are 100% fully vaccinated and the entire population of Polillo Island has reached 80% of fully vaccinated residents, achieving an immunity herd, one of the key factors why TES qualified for the pilot implementation for the face-to-face classes.

TES teachers, headed by Head Teacher Lilibeth A. Torres, expressed their enthusiasm towards the reopening of the school. According to their testimonies, this pilot implementation is a much-needed intervention to make sure that their learners can have access to quality education.

In total, there will be 49 students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 who will be participating in the pilot implementation. Each class will hold 5-8 learners per batch with two (2) batches per day. Class hours will be three (3) hours per day, from Monday to Friday.

Parents will remain outside the school premises except for parents of Kindergarten learners who will be permitted to stay in a designated area.

“Congratulations to Tamulaya Elementary School, you have shown that with proper coordination and participation, a community can come together and overcome anything for the sake of their children,” Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones shared.

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