DepEd committed to ensuring safe educational continuity amidst the challenges of COVID-19
The Department of Education (DepEd) released DepEd Order No. 014, s.2020 titled “Guidelines on the Required Health Standards in Basic Education Offices and Schools”, stating that the health and safety of the learners and teaching and non-teaching personnel are of utmost importance and must be protected at all times.
DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2020 – Guidelines on the Required Health Standards in Basic Education Offices and Schools
1. The Department of Education (DepEd) is committed to ensure safe educational continuity amidst the challenges of COVID-19. Learning opportunities must be provided to give hope and stability, contribute to the normalization of activities in the country, and facilitate development of our learners and bring normalcy to their lives.
2. In the provision of learning opportunities, the health and safety of our learnersand teaching and non-teaching personnel are of utmost importance and must be protected at all times.
3. To ensure the safe return to schools and DepEd offices when allowed by the Department of Health (DOH), the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), or the Office of the President, DepEd issues the enclosed Guidelines on the Required Health Standards in Basic Education Offices and Schools (Enclosure No. 1) for the guidance of all learners, teachers, and nonteaching personnel nationwide. The specific measures for COVID-19 mitigation in schools and offices are detailed in Enclosure No. 2 and Enclosure No. 3, respectively.
4. The guidelines and the specific interventions are primarily based on the DOH Administrative Order No. 2020-0015 or the Guidelines on the Risk-Based Public Health Standards for COVID-19 Mitigation, cited by the IATF to aid all sectors in all settings to implement non-pharmaceutical interventions.
5. The DepEd Central Office (CO), Regional Offices (ROs), Schools Division Offices (SDOs) and all public and private elementary and secondary schools/community learning centers (CLCs) are mandated to adopt the guidelines on the required health standards and implement the specific interventions for COVID-19 mitigation. Other measures may be instituted, guided by the following principles laid out in the DOH Administrative Order No. 2020-0015: