The Department of Education (DepEd) is now giving the different public and private schools the authority to include other grade levels in the expanded face-to-face classes.
Previously, only students in Kindergarten, Grades 1 to 3, and Senior High School were allowed to participate in the pilot face-to-face classes.
"With the expansion phase, we would like to give that opportunity and chance to the other grade levels so that mag-umpisa na yung setting of the consciousness among our learners and teachers na talagang time will come na talagang school-bahay ang learning at teaching process natin," said Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma in a statement.
(With the expansion phase, we would like to give that opportunity and chance to the other grade levels so that it would start the setting of the consciousness among our learners and teachers that the time would come where school-home will be our learning and teaching process.)
"It's really up to the schools, our divisions, and regions to make that right programming, the right combination of what grade levels can be included in the expanded limited face to face," he added.
According to DepEd, the expansion phase of limited face-to-face classes will begin in the National Capital Region on February 9.
Expansion schools need to be under Alert Levels 1 and 2 before getting the green light to commence face-to-face classes.
They also need to pass the standards of the School Safety Assessment Tool, obtain the local government unit's concurrence, get written consent from parents and participants, and coordinate with respective barangays.
