Over 1,000 schools nationwide have been nominated to participate in the pilot implementation of the physical classes in selected areas under modified general community quarantine in January next year, the Department of Education said on Wednesday.

DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, in the "Laging Handa" televised press briefing, said from the report that her office received from their regional directors last week, 1,114 schools out of 61,000 schools nationwide have been nominated to join in the dry run for face-to-face classes.

"Three regions have begged off at this time," she said, citing that the three regions include the National Capital Region, Davao, and Cotabato.

But Regions IV-A or Calabarzon and Region III or Central Luzon have so far have the "highest demand" to hold physical classes.

"But the final listing will be very much lesser than 1,114 considering that we are looking into other factors...we need the written consent from the parents," Briones explained.

"But what is very clear is that children spend most of their time at home," she added.

Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan, in the same briefing, said that under the pilot implementation of face-to-face classes, the maximum number of students in a class would be between 15 and 20 to ensure proper physical distancing.

Students would be required to wear face masks and face shields and there would be frequent handwashing.

The screening of the children and the teachers to ensure that they are not infected with coronavirus disease would be "symptom-based," Malaluan said.

"It will not be a full class size and not a full week schedule for the children, but still a combined distance learning," he added.

DepEd is eyeing to conduct the dry run for the physical classes on January 11 to 23 next year. Celerina Monte/DMS