CEBU CITY, Philippines – The province of Cebu asked the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Cebu office to reduce classes to once a week and to shorten the school year amid a rise in confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in the country.

The resolution was approved by the provincial board on Monday, March 9. President Rodrigo Duterte suspended classes in Metro Manila from March 10 to 14.

“We are requesting DepEd to make our school year shorter, and if possible,” Provincial Board 7th District Representative Christopher Baricuatro was quoted in the Cebu Province Public Information Office’s Sugbo News.

He added, “If COVID-19 prevails and cases increase, [I hope] DepEd will consider homeschool or giving homework to the students once a week then the following week they can meet again for one day to discuss what was in their homework.”

Later on Thursday, March 12, Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella will meet with owners of the universities in Cebu to discuss delaying graduation rites and other COVID-19 related policies for the cities students.

The provincial board is suggesting that schools assign students modules, if classes cannot be done online.

The first positive case in the Central Visayas was confirmed in Dumaguete City on Wednesday, March 11. 

So far, 49 cases have been confirmed in the Philippines, 46 are currently admitted to hospitals, while two have been discharged, and one has died.  

The World Health Organization on Wednesday called the new coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. – Rappler.com