The Department of Education (DepEd) started the progressive expansion of face-to-face classes in areas under Alert Level 2.

"We started with the progressive expansion in the areas under Alert Level 2, in NCR, Batanes, Bulacan, Rizal and Cavite, also in Southern Leyte and Biliran," Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said during the ''Laging Handa'' virtual public briefing on Friday.

Malaluan said the exact date of the start of the face-to-face classes in the areas under Alert Level 2 depends on the schools.

"The schools have chosen different dates. Most of them chose to start on the opening of the third quarter of the school calendar.

''We just finished with the midyear calendar break and the feedback is good and this will be progressively increased in the coming days, especially when our Alert Level 2 expands after February 15, which is covered by the existing alert levels," he added.

Malaluan said there were more than 6,000 schools in the country that are ready for face-to-face classes.

"We have more than 6,000 schools that are ready to join the expanded phase and it will continue to increase as long as they are able to comply with the school safety assessment," he said.

"As soon as the areas are placed under Alert Level 2 more than 6,500 schools will start and it will increase on a rolling basis as soon as those that are not yet included in the 6,500 plus will comply in our schools safety assessment," said Malaluan.

"If they fulfill that, then they will join the number of what we call compliant schools... That is why we call it progressive expansion phase. This is on a rolling basis and we will see our targets of what will be covered by our 60,000 schools nationwide, including the private schools," he added.

Malaluan did not say how many private schools were included in the schools are ready for face-to-face classes but he noted most of them are public schools. Robina Asido/DMS