Malacañang said on Wednesday enrollment in public schools for School Year 2020-2021 would proceed starting June 1.

"The enrollment will push through," said Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a radio interview.

He said it is certain that by August 24, formal learning will resume.

"What is uncertain is whether or not face-to-face classes will resume, that would really depend on whether we have achieved the new normal," he explained in a television interview.

Roque said the Department of Education is now preparing for "blended learning."

"Enrollment will proceed because whether it be face-to-face or blended, you have to enroll your children because there has to be a basis for assessing whether or not after one year your children will progress to the next level," he explained.

Roque said blended learning "does not completely preclude face-to-face," since there could be private schools where the number of students is limited.

"In fact, they may have to be... you know, small meetings just for assessment purposes or for enforcement purposes," he said.

"Now, if you’re asking about special schools, I think it’s a matter of getting accreditation from DepEd. If it’s special learning which really has about only about fifteen students, I see no reason or obstacle for the DepEd not to allow it. But if they will have to be an accreditation process to be arrived at by the DepEd," the spokesman added.

On Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte said there was no point in resuming classes if there is no vaccine yet for COVID-19.

This drew confusion among the parents, prompting Roque to immediately clarify that Duterte was referring only to the prohibition of holding face-to-face classes if there is no vaccine yet against the virus. Celerina Monte/DMS