About 1,764 public and 7 private schools in Central Luzon were given the green light for the implementation of limited face-to-face classes.
Department of Education (DepEd) awarded the School Safety Assessment Tool Compliance Certificate (SSATCC) to these institutions as part of the progressive expansion of in person classes in the region.
“Under our interim guidelines on the expansion of limited face-to-face classes, all Regional Directors are authorized to continue the implementation of limited face-to-face classes of the original pilot schools, and the commencement of the progressive expansion phase for both public and private schools provided that expansion schools have been validated as compliant with the standards of School Safety Assessment Tool (SSAT),” DepEd Regional Director May Eclar said.
SSAT evaluates the readiness of schools following the four indicators namely Managing School Operations, Teaching and Learning, Wellbeing and Protection, and Home-School Coordination.
SSATCC, which affirms that a school has been found compliant to all the four indicators in the SSAT, shall be displayed conspicuously at all entrance points according to prescribed dimensions provided in DepEd Regional Memorandum No. 145, series of 2022.
“This is an indication that our schools are prepared to implement limited face-to-face classes while waiting for the concurrence of their respective local chief executives and the improvement of the health conditions in their area,” Eclar added.
The SSATCC is valid for six months from date of issuance and shall be renewable subject to continued compliance of all eligibility requirements such as the school is located in a province or highly-urbanized city under Alert Levels 1 and 2.
Also, validation report of the Division/District Composite Team indicating compliance to the SSAT; and indorsement from the Schools Division Superintendent to the Regional Director.
“The SSATCC may be revoked through a valid complaint of willful violation of any of the minimum public health standards or if there is a clustering of COVID-19 cases reported in the school,” Eclar furthered.
The list of public and private schools with SSATCC may be viewed and downloaded at https://region3.deped.gov.ph/ssatcc-schools/. (PIA 3)
