Perception of Parents and

Teachers on the Possibility of

Face to Face Classes Despite the
Surge of Different Covid Variants

Members:
Norin Scarlet Soliven Wilhelmina Teodoro
Kristopher Ian Arabejo Joanne Hazel Decano Blessed Joy
Silva
INTRODUCTION
Schooling is one of the most affected aspects of human life due to coronavirus disease-2019
(COVID-19) pandemic. Since the rise and threat of the pandemic, many countries around the
world have decided to temporarily close schools that have affected millions of students.1
Consequently, students who are mostly children have been facing a learning crisis due to the
pandemic.2 In a recent correspondence published in this journal, the authors cited that every
country has the responsibility to come up with strategies to reopen schools in a safe manner.3
In the Philippines, the government’s Department of Education has come up with guidelines to
implement online and modular distance learning delivery of instruction.4 This is to safeguard
students from being infected by the disease. However, plans to conduct the pilot
implementation of limited face-to-face delivery in low-risk areas of COVID-19 transmission for
January 2021 have been approved by the president but later recalled due to the threat of the
new strain of COVID-19. Predicaments are raised whether the country is ready to open its
schools for students to go for face-to-face learning despite having been one of the longest and
strictest lockdowns in the world. School reopening for face-to-face interactions must be
carefully planned to ensure the safety of students as well as teachers and school staff in a
staged fashion especially in following physical distancing. Planning and execution of school
health protocols during this pandemic must be supported by the truthful data being given by
various institutions.
Last 11 December 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has published a checklist to
support school reopening and the preparation for the possible resurgence of COVID-19. WHO
cited that ‘The checklist is aligned with, and builds upon, existing COVID-19-related WHO
guidelines and is structured around protective measures related to: 1) hand hygiene and
respiratory etiquette; 2) physical distancing; 3) use of masks in schools; 4) environmental
cleaning and ventilation; and 5) respecting procedures for isolation of all people with
symptoms.’ The checklist helps policymakers and school officials to enhance compliance and
adherence to public health protocols in the time of the pandemic. In conclusion, school health
protocols in conducting face to-face classes must be planned carefully following national and
international guidelines to ensure that students will be safe or at least mitigate the effects of
COVID-19. After all, students’ lives matter as education does to them. That is the
responsibility of every government to ensure its fulfilment.
The Department of Education in Visayas, disclosed that are recently conducted survey among
learners, teachers and parents showed most of them are still in favor to face to face classes.
Deped Director Dr. Salustiano Jimenez said the survey was made as their regional office is
preparing for the new academic year 2021- 2022. According to the survey most of the parents,
learners and teachers really wanted to go back to face to face. But in new platform, using this
limited face to face type, he was referring to a proposal. To combine home based and school-
based learning, this meant that not all days of the week, the learners will be in school.
It is a combination of home based and school-based learning. Because we understand and there are
still who remained apprehensive in going to school, particularly those who highly from urbanized
cities. Deped required schools to provide or present a resolution from the local government unit
(LGU) a resolution from the Parents Teachers Associations (PTA) agreeing in the limited face to
face and support from the Deped division office, where they belong to apply their limited face to
face, and support from the deped division office, where they belong to apply for their limited face
to face. According to Marifel Baldo 40 a resident of Barangay Mabolo, Cebu city said she will allow
her two children who are in high school to join the face-to-face classes only if the school and the
local Government can assure that is compliant with necessary measures to prevent the spread of
the Covid 19.
According to Baldo she was hesitant about allowing her younger child, who is in elementary school,
because the child is not yet as cautious as the two older ones. Baldo said she would rather
continue with the modular lesson for the Elementary Students, especially that her child teacher is
dedicated and accommodating with the current educational set up. On December 14, Malacañang
announced that President Rodrigo Duterte has approved a trial run of face to face classes in areas
deemed “low risk” for Covid 19. The approved proposal put forth by the Deped involves the pilot
implementation or dry run of face-to-face classes in select schools within areas with low COVID risk
For the whole month of January 2021.not a few has expressed misgivings about the dry run as this
could expose students and teachers alike to virus. However, the Deped gave assurances the pilot
test will only be done “under strict health and safety measures and where there is commitment for
shared responsibility among Deped, Local governments units, and parents”.
 METHODOLOGY
A. Research Design and Participants
 
This study will utilize qualitative research, survey forms and
recorded interviews will be the main instrument in gathering data.
Qualitative research focuses in understanding a research query as a
humanistic or idealistic approach. This method is considered most
appropriate, since qualitative method is used to understand people's
beliefs, experiences, attitudes, behavior, and interactions. It would
be of great use in evaluating the perceptions of teachers and parents
in the possibility of the face to face classes during the covid-19
pandemic. Teachers and Parents, ten of each, in five schools in
Palauig District will be randomly chosen to be the respondents.
 B. Data Collection
The researchers will use open ended-survey
questions through Google Forms and will record
semi-structured interviews with the respondents as
the principal instrument in gathering data on the
perception of Teachers and Parents in the Possibility
of face to face classes despite the surge of different
covid variants. To nullify research bias, the survey
forms will be examined by the adviser and other
qualified specialist. Answers to the survey forms will
be discuss by the researchers and adviser for
verification. Follow up questions may also be used
for validation.
 C. Data Analysis
Teachers and parents’ responses to the survey forms and recorded
interviews will be analyzed. This study will be done using a thematic
analysis. Thematic analysis is a qualitative data analysis method that
involves reading through a data set (such as transcripts from in depth
interviews or focus groups), and identifying patterns in meaning across
the data. This process is driven by the research questions, so it’s not
necessary to identify every possible theme in the data, but rather to
focus on the key aspects that relate to the research questions. The
researchers will go through familiarization and encoding of data
collected from the surveys and interviews about the perception of
parents and teachers on the possibility of face-to-face classes despite of
the surge of different covid variants and will come up with shorthand
labels or “codes” to describe the content. Next, is generating, reviewing
and defining of themes to make sure that the themes are useful and
accurate representations of the data. And finally, the researchers will
write up the analysis of the data and show how the analysis has answered
the research questions.