The Philippines government recently announced approval for a face-to-face pilot program proposed by the Department of Education. This has naturally led to many questions about whether Brent International School Baguio will be participating. The pilot is still in the process of being finalized, but given this is such a high-interest topic, let me provide a summary of what is currently known.

  • Brent is continuing to communicate directly with the Department of Education and we have requested to be considered for any programs implementing face-to-face classes.
  • DepEd is still finalizing the official list of participating schools.
  • The few schools that qualify must receive a written waiver from parents and permission from local government units for the pilot program to push through.
  • Only Kindergarten to Grade 3 and vocational students from senior high schools are included in the proposed pilot. 
  • Classes would be conducted only every other week and be limited to 3-4 hours a day.

The above points are still subject to change, especially considering that joint guidelines of the Department of Education and the Department of Health have not been finalized and no start date has been given. The points represent, though, our most current information.

Regardless of its limited scope, the approved pilot program is a positive indicator that the country as a whole is beginning to look toward opening schools in the future. We are eager to have our students back in classrooms, and we will continue working with the government to make that a reality.

Whenever the opportunity is given we will carefully assess all guidelines and the potential impacts they may have on both our students’ health and education. This will include input from our families. You can expect a survey regarding your comfort level in sending your children back to school once clear guidelines have been established by the governing authorities. When you receive that survey, please review the contextual information, and consider your own situation carefully before responding.

In the meantime, we are proud to continue delivering a quality online program, and we remain hopeful for the future. God bless you all.

Sincerely,

Mr. Brett Petrillo
Headmaster