The Department of Education (DepEd) has re-written its School Safety Assessment Tool (SSAT) which is used in determining the preparedness of schools in participating for the gradual expansion of face-to-face classes nationwide.
The SSAT revision was based on the monitoring and evaluation results of the primary implementation of the school reopenings for the past months.
“We ensure that the health, safety, and well-being of our learners, teachers, and personnel remain our utmost priority. Our revised SSAT will help the Department mobilize the progressive expansion of our face-to-face classes in areas under Alert 1 and 2,” DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones said.
The revised SSAT focuses on managing school operations, teaching, learning, well-being, and protection, along with school-community coordination.
The department also highlighted that the schools need the support of their community stakeholders, emphasizing the shared responsibility framework.
“They must conduct simulation activities among school personnel regarding managing the conduct of face-to-face classes, and the school must ensure that learners who will participate in the expansion must submit parent’s consent,” the department further announced.
The department’s assessment of a school’s readiness to cater to students and other personnel is based on the sufficient supply of learning resources that are being mobilized both in face-to-face classes and in hybrid learning, such as those students who opt to do online classes.
The agency has also advised that in-person participating schools should also develop feasible strategies in combating the possible risk of COVID-19 transmission in school communities, as well as maintaining the provision of mental health services and psychosocial support to the people inside their vicinity.
“Our SSAT will not be the final determinant if a school will participate in our progressive expansion. It is our way to prepare our schools for the eventual reopening and to inform them of the required indicators and standards that they need to meet to ensure the safety of our learners and school personnel,” said Briones.
As of last week, there are a total of 26,997 additional schools that have been nominated to participate in the expansion of in-person classes.
However, about 23,963 of these have already been implementing some progressive expansion of face-to-face classes, as noted by DepEd.