SCHOOL

SAFETY
ASSESSMENT
TOOL (SSAT)
ONLINE ORIENTATION FOR
RO a n d SDO PERSONNEL
FREQUENTLY ASKED
QUESTIONS (FAQs)
 H o w w e r e the 6 3 8 identified as
n o m i n a t e d schools?

A n initial assessment last December 2 0 2 0 w a s c on duc t ed

t h r o ug h the School Readiness Checklist w h i c h contains indicators
t h at s h o w readiness o f the schools f o r the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f
the f a c e - t o - f a c e l ear ni n g m o d a l i t y. U p o n the accomplishment o f
the SRC, 6 3 8 schools passed the assessment a n d w e r e p r e -
identified as nominated schools.
 W h a t is the difference b e t w e e n
SRC a n d SSAT?

The School Readiness Checklist w h i c h w a s first used t o assess the

readiness o f the schools contains indicators only. O n the ot her
h a n d , the SSAT contains indicators a n d standards b a s e d o n the
r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s f r o m series o f consultative meetings w i t h D O H ,
W H O , UNICEF, a n d Child H e a l t h experts a n d suggestions f r o m
DepEd c onc er ned offices.

A d d i t i o n a l l y, the SSAT has b e e n cross-checked w i t h W H O ' s

Checklist for Safe Reopening of Schools.
 W h y is the SSAT redeployed?

G i v e n the current c ondi ti on a n d situation o f C O V I D - 19 in the

country, the SSAT w i l l b e r e d e p l o y e d to g a u g e the readiness of
the schools for the pilot implementation of the face-t o - face
learning modality a t present. The t o o l shall b e ac compl is hed b y
the 6 3 8 p r e - identified schools t h a t passed the initial assessment
using the SRC.
 W h o shall accomplish the SSAT?

The School Heads (SH) shall input the d a t a o n SSAT using the
G o o g l e Forms link assigned t o their r e g i o n . The School H e a d ,
p r i o r t o the accomplishment o f the e - SSAT, shall conduct
consultations w i t h key school stakeholders.
 Is it r e q u i r e d t o meet all standards
under an indicator?

Yes.

The standards set u n d e r the indicators must b e

m e t in o r d e r t o consider the indicator achieved.
 Can w e change the entry
w e h a v e first e n t e r e d in the SSAT?

Yes.

You m a y r e e n t e r y o u r a n sw e rs in the G o o g l e
Forms. K e e p in m i n d t h a t the S D O w i l l count
your/s chool s' latest entry on the d a y of the
deadline as official.
 Until w h e n can the schools enter
their d a t a on SSAT?

The schools m a y e nt e r their d a t a o n SSAT

o n o r b e f o r e 2 4 September 2 0 2 1 .
 W h a t will h a p p e n a f t e r the schools have
accomplished the SSAT?
U p o n ac complis hment o f the SSAT b y the schools, the SDOs, t h ro ug h
the composite t e a m shall validate the v er ac i ty o f the d a t a b y
conduc ting a m o n i t o r i n g visit t o the schools b e t w e e n September 2 7 -
October 1, 2 0 2 1 .

For schools t h a t m e t all indicators, they shall b e informed of the

scheduled monitoring visit. For schools t h a t d i d n o t m e e t all
indicators, the SDOs shall continuously provide technical assistance
t o m e e t all indicators, this is in p r e p a r a t i o n f o r the expanded
implementation of the face-t o - face classes.
W h a t w i l l h a p p e n if the d a t a o f the schools
t h a t m e t all indicators h a v e b e e n f o u n d
valid?

The schools t h a t m e t all indicators a n d h a v e u n d e r g o n e d a t a

v a l i d a t i o n shall b e a d d e d t o the SDO's list of schools t h a t met
all indicators a n d will qualify for the pilot implementation of
the face-t o - face learning modality which will be f o r w a r d e d
to the Policy, Planning, a n d Research Division of the ROs.
 W h a t w i l l h a p p e n if the d a t a o f the schools t h a t
m e t all indicators h a v e b e e n f o u n d mistagged?

In the ev en t w h e r e the SDOs find issues o n the v ali dit y o f d a t a

s ub mitt ed b y the schools, such as indicators t h a t a r e t a g g e d as m e t
but a r e act ually unmet , SDOs shall provide technical assistance to
help the schools meet the unmet indicators.

If the school has m et all indicators prior to the pilot implementation

o f the limit ed f a c e - t o - f a c e classes, the SDO shall consider their
inclusion. In case the school w a s not a b l e to meet all indicators prior
to the pilot implementatio n, they must continuously b e p r o v i d e d w i t h
technical assistance until th ey a r e r e a d y t o p a r t i c i p a t e f o r the
exp an d ed implementation o f the f a c e - t o - fa c e classes.
 C a n the schools t h a t h a v e not m e t all indicators
still p a r t i c i p a t e f o r the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o n the
face-t o - face learning modality?
For schools t h a t did not meet indicators, the SDOs shall i n f o r m t h e m
o f their unmet indicators a n d shall provide technical assistance t o
hel p t h e m p r e p a r e f o r the exp and ed implementation o f the f a c e - t o -
fa c e l e a r n i n g m o d a l i t y. The school m a y only b e eligible t o p a r t i c i p a t e
f o r the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n if they h a v e u n d e r g o n e d a t a v a l id at i on ,
a n d has m e t all indicators p r i o r t o the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n .

The SDOs shall m o n i t o r the progress o f the schools a n d shall u p d a t e

the schools' latest d a t a in their d a t a b a s e every t w o weeks a f t e r the
deadline of the SSAT.
 H o w w i l l the n o m i n a t i o n f o r the schools t h a t m e e t
all indicators p r o c e e d ?

U p o n finalization o f the d a t a , the d e s i g n a t e d f o c al person o f the

SDOs shall consolidate the list o f schools t h a t m e e t all indicators
a n d w i l l quali f y t o p a r t i c i p a t e in the l i m i t ed f a c e - t o - f ac e learni ng
m o d a l i t y. The said list must b e f o r w a r d e d t o the PPRD o f their
respective Regional Offices.

The final list of schools f r o m the r e g i o n shall b e cross-checked

w i t h D O H ' s d a t a o n risk classification.
 H o w will the final list of participating schools be
notified f o r the conduct o f p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n
on face-t o - face learning modality?

The Central O ff i c e shall release a m e m o r a n d u m i n f o r m i n g the

schools o n their p a r t i c i p a t i o n f o r the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o n f a c e -
t o - f a c e l ea r ni n g m o d a l i t y.
 W h o shall l e a d the SDO Composite t e a m
(School H e a l t h , DRRM, Planning O ff i ce r, S D O Engineer, CID) ?

The conduct o f the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n is a n a t i o n - w i d e concern

a n d m u l t i - disciplinary in a p p r o a c h , thus the n e e d f o r a composite
t e a m . The Lead / Focal Person o f the c om p o s i t e t e a m shall b e
identified based on the m a i n a r e a on the SSAT. i.e., concerns o n
curriculum shall b e l e d b y the representative f r o m the CID.
W i l l t he r e b e a s e p a r a t e orientation for the identified
schools or School Heads in a cco mplish ing the SSAT?

If t he r e is a n e e d t o o ri en t y o u r S DO , this w i l l
b e b e t t e r conducted per SDO.
W h e n is the t a r g e t d a t e f o r the p i l o t a n d e x p a n d e d
i m p l e m e n t a t i o n s o n the f a c e - t o - f a c e l e ar n i n g
modality?

As p r o v i d e d in the b a c k g r o u n d o f the c ondu ct o f p i l ot

i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o n f a c e - t o - f a c e l e a r n i n g m o d a l i t y, the
d a t e s a r e subject f o r the a p p r o v a l a n d decision o f the
President. Henc e, a t this t ime , n o d a t e has
b e e n ident i fi ed y et .
 Is the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o n the f a c e - t o - face
l e a r n i n g m o d a l i t y l i m i t e d t o p u b l ic schools,
o r is it also open to pr iv a te schools?
Private schools a r e considered for the pilot implementation. As
discussed ear lie r, requirements f o r a p r i v a t e school t o b e eligible f o r
the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n w i l l b e releas ed in the Guidelines.

For r e i t e r a t i o n , p r i v a t e schools t h a t signify t o p a r t i c i p a t e , the f o l l o w i n g

requirements shall b e c o m p l i e d p r i o r t o the a u t h o r i z a t i o n f r o m the Regional
Direct or: Submission o f a f o r m a l letter a d d r e s s e d t o the Regional Director
expressing the f o l l o w i n g : interest t o i m p l e m e n t limite d f a c e - t o - f a c e classes;
willingness t o submit a r e p o r t o n lessons a n d r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o n a mo n t h l y
basis d u r i n g the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n a n d q u a r t e r l y f o r the e x p a n d e d
i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f f a c e - t o - f a c e classes.
 W h a t w i l l h a p p e n if schools a r e still not meeting the
indicators des pi t e the technical assistance p r o v i d e d b y
the SDOs? C a n this b e rais ed t o the hig h er offices?

This m a y b e raised t o the hig he r offices as included in the

r e p o r t m o n i t o r i n g system SDOs a n d ROs shall conduct. They
shall provide report indicating m a i n areas / indicators /
standards schools find challenging to meet o r r e m a i n un met
e v e n a f t e r the provision o f technical assistance.
Is the vaccination status o f teachers a n d personnel
in the schools i n d i c a t e d in the SSAT?

Yes. It is included in the online version o f the SSAT.

W h i l e c o m p l e t e vaccination o f teachers a n d personnel is n o t

con sid ered as a r e q u i r e m e n t f o r the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n ,
the vaccination status must be closely monitored.
Does a p r e - ident i fied school n e e d t o c o m p l e t e the SSAT
ev e n t h o u g h the b a r a n g a y has r e c o r d e d positive
C O V I D - 19 cases?

P r e - i de nt if ied schools must accomplish the

p r e - assessment questions o f the SSAT a n d indicate t h a t their
ba r a n ga y s h a v e recorded positive case/s. This me ans the
schools c a n n o t p r o c e e d t o a n s w e r i n g the SSAT.
 If the r e g i o n o r p r o v i n c e is classified as A l e r t Level 4,
a r e the p r e - ide ntifie d schools still q u a l i f i e d ?

The d a t a g a t h e r e d o n SSAT shall b e f o r w a r d e d t o D O H

f o r the cross-checking of the agency's d a t a on risk
classification. The final list o f q u a li f i e d schools shall
u n d e r g o cross-checking b e f o r e its issuance.
W h a t if t he p r e - identified schools h a v e b e e n request ed
f o r use as Temporary Q u a r a n t i n e Facility, w i l l t hey still
b e n o m i n a t e d f o r the p i l o t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n ?

No.

If the school is a n isolation a r e a , this means t h a t the

a r e a is a h i g h - risk a r e a .
 A r e healthcare facilities in a r e a s o f
p r e - i den ti fi ed schools considered?

The c a p a c i t y o f h e a l t h c a r e facilities a r e con sid ered in the D O H

risk classification w h i c h shall b e used w h e n D O H crosscheck
the d a t a o f the schools w i t h D O H ' s d a t a .
For queries a n d concerns, you m a y reach out to
S C H O O L EFFECTIVENESS D I V I S I O N (SED) f o r matters related
to SSAT:
bhrod.sed@deped.gov.ph

EDUCATIONAL M A N A G E M E N T A N D I N F O R M AT I O N SYSTEM
(EMISD) f o r matters re la ted to administering the SSAT
through Google Forms:
ps.emisd@deped.gov.ph
SCHOOL
SAFETY
ASSESSMENT
TOOL (SSAT)
ONLINE ORIENTATION FOR RO a n d SDO
PERSONNEL