The biggest secondary school in the province of Antique will continue its face-to-face classes here for its senior high school taking up Technical-Vocational Livelihood (TVL) track amid a rise in the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases.
Mayor Elmer Untaran said in a virtual press conference Wednesday that he assured Antique National School (ANS) principal Roger Jomolo that the face-to-face classes would continue even if it is an indoor activity.
“We are allowing indoor meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) to continue,” Untaran said.
He added that the face-to-face classes will continue provided that learners will strictly observe the Covid-19 minimum health protocol and 30 percent of the classroom capacity.
ANS is one of the three schools in the province, together with the Igsoro Integrated School in Bugasong and Mayabay Elementary School, chosen for the pilot face-to-face classes since last year.
The school has 88 out of its 500 senior high school students taking up TVL track, such as bread and pastry, cookery, and Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM), who are joining the face-to-face classes since Dec. 6, 2021.
Through the TVL senior high school track, students can gain the skills and knowledge they need to seek employment straight after senior high school whether in the country or overseas.
The students have been vaccinated to protect them from infection.
“I suspect that the Covid-19 is Omicron variant but then it still is subject to genome testing,” Untaran said due to the fast spread of infection.
As of January 11, this capital town has 106 active Covid-19 cases from only five on January 4.
Based on their contact tracing, he said these cases are in a family who went for a vacation outside of Antique during Christmastime.
“We hope that the Covid-19 will already have its plateau since we have no more additional case on Wednesday,” he said.
Based on the report of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) Wednesday, Antique has a total of 212 active cases out of the total 6,352 total cumulative cases.
It has 5,851 total recoveries and 289 recorded deaths.
Source: Philippines News Agency
