Aklan State University

College of Teachers Education-Graduate School

Banga, Aklan

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SCHOOL

SAFETY ASSESSMENT
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TOOL
FOR THE PROGRESSIVE EXPANSION
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OF FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING
MODALITY
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MARY ROSE D. NACION DR. ERSYL T. BIRAY

PhD Student Professor
 Introduction
The advent of the pandemic during the last month of 2019 and its surge on
the first quarter of 2020 in the country, has caused several private sectors
and government departments, along with its normal operation, to halt. The
Education sector was among those that was hit hard, given the ultimate
nature of virus that it spreads through contact. The Department of
Education, being one of the organizations that relies on face-to-face
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  delivery, has suddenly halted normal operations
instruction for learning
and was forced to closure just to mitigate the virus. It has introduced
several distance learning modalities as part of its Basic Education Learning
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Continuity Plan. These modalities include modular learning, online

learning, TV- based instruction, Radio- based instruction and
homeschooling.
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 Introduction

The schools in the District of Libacao adapted the modular learning

modality (print) which utilizes Self- Learning Modules prescribed and
issued by the Department of Education. This was the most feasible
modality to be implemented in the district since most schools do not have
the access to internet with others situated in geographically- isolated areas
with no means of communication, electricity and transportation making
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other modalities impossible to implement. The use of self- learning

modules has posed several challenges and difficulties, not only on the part
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of the learners but also on the teachers and parents, in general.

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 Introduction

As the school year progressed upon its pilot implementation, problems

such as “erroneous content”, “difficult activities”, “too many assessments”,
“inappropriate lessons” and “incomprehensible” surfaced online. While
there are those that were resolved through editing and contextualizing by
teachers, still there are non- curriculum related challenges that is evident
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such as “hassles of distribution and retrieval”, “limited printing resources”
and “unanswered modules that were returned”, which needs to be
addressed and that can only be resolved by the reintroduction of the face-
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to-face instruction.
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 Introduction

The lifting of the stringent alert levels by the Inter- Agency Task Force
prompted the Department of Education to slowly return the schools to its
normal operation. In DepEd Order No. 17 series of 2022, it released
guidelines on the progressive expansion of classes and the schools were
made to prepare for the face-to-face instruction and as its guide, DepEd
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Memorandum No. 30, series of 2022 issued the School Safety Assessment
Tool (SSAT), a tool to assess the readiness of the schools to participate in
the progressive expansion of the face- to- face learning modality.
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 Introduction

It is composed of several indicators divided into four categories:

Managing School Operations, Focusing on Teaching and Learning, Well-
Being and Protection and School- Community Coordination. Managing
School Operations enumerates indicators that pertains to school’s physical
readiness; while teaching and learning focuses on indicators that involves
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pedagogical practices; well- being and protection have indicators that
promotes the health standards to be upheld during the conduct of the face to
face classes; while school- community coordination involves indicators on
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community and school linkages.

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 Introduction

The SSAT is similar to a survey questionnaire wherein school heads will

check the Yes or No for each indicator depending on the availability or
presence of that indicator in the schools. It may look like it’s easy based on
the manner of its accomplishment but the preparations of Mode of
Verifications were the source of problems among heads and teachers. Based
on the outputs presented by several schools who were brave enough to do the
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pilot opening, preparations of the folders as well as preparing the physical
facilities of the school and the teaching- learning process were definitely the
challenge.
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 Introduction

These challenges led to the conceptualization of this analysis. The

researcher wanted to critically analyze the tool based on its content,
necessity, timeliness, practicality, and beneficiality. This will also involve
identification of the challenges and difficulties in the accomplishment of
each indicator and the strategies employed by the school just to meet with
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the demands.
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 Thesis Statement
This study was conceptualized to answer the following:

1. What is the school safety assessment tool?

2. What is the characteristics and significance of the tool when analyzed

based on: c
a. content
b. necessity and timeliness
c. practicality and beneficiality
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 Thesis Statement
3. What are the difficulties perceived by the school in accomplishing the
SSAT?

4. How did the schools cope with these difficulties?

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 Summary
The focus of this critical analysis is to explore the characteristics
and significance of the school safety assessment tool in terms of its
content, necessity and timeliness, practicality and beneficiality. The
content focuses on the examination of the contents of the tool, it
relevance and redundancies. The necessity and timeliness assess the
timing of issuance of the tool in comparison to the DepEd timelines and
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activities and the practicality and beneficiality discusses the positive
points of the tool as well as its lapses and loopholes.
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 Summary

Truth be told, there is really no perfect tool to gauge the needs of the
school because the schools are unique and different in some ways and
providing them with a uniform tool will only eradicate the randomness of
the variables and factors present in school that may hasten or hinder the
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implementation of the face-to-face classes.
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 Summary

This paper will only serve as a constructive critiquing to the tool

that is essential to the opening of the schools for its learners in the new
normal. The gathered feedbacks of the teachers used in this study were
reflected to provide a concrete evidences to the claims and the identities
were withheld for confidentiality. Similarly, the analysis inscribed
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herein does not solely reflect the views and opinions of the schools in
the District but is only the opinions of the researcher based on her
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personal perceptions.
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 Analysis

The preparation of the progressive expansion of the face-to-face

learning modality has been a tedious and exhausting job for the schools.
Prior to the release of the Deped Order No. 17 series of 2021, schools
were trying to slowly get the hang of modular learning by investing on
more printing materials. Division offices have several initiatives that
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caters distance learning in different platforms—television, radio and

online by preparing video- based lessons, TV and radio broadcast and
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contextualized learning modules.

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 Analysis

With the ease of restriction on the safety protocols and measures due
to the declining number of COVID- 19 cases mandated by the Inter
Agency Task Force on the early weeks of the first quarter of 2022, the
Department of Education signified its intent to also open the gates of the
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school for the return of its learners.
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 Analysis

DepEd Memorandum No. 30 series of 2022 provided the whole public

schools in the country the outline on where to start and with the issuance of
the safety assessment tool, the schools were bombarded with mixed
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reactions.
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 Analysis
Characteristics and Significance

• Content

The school safety assessment tool is composed of four areas

with main indicators, required sub- indicators and optional indicators.
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These indicators provides the idea for schools on what to prepare to be
physically prepared in the reopening of face-to-face classes.
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 Analysis

The first area: Managing School Operations, includes indicators

on keeping the school premises safe, learner- friendly and conducive
for learning. The area is subdivided into seven categories. The first
category is the shared responsibility which includes the close
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coordination of schools in several government offices in securing
permits for the initial opening of the schools. The second category
includes work arrangement which speaks about how teachers will be
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prepared physically for the opening of the school which also

requires their vaccination status.
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 Analysis

The third category is about classroom layout and structure that

outlines how the classroom must be arranged that adheres to the social
distancing protocols, proper ventilation and disinfection method. The
fourth category includes school traffic management which speaks about
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establishing entrance and exits of the school that will still uphold
limited interactions and proper queueing process. The fifth category is
about protective measures and hygiene which includes establishment of
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contact tracing procedures, designation of safety officer, disposal of

waste plans and provisions of hygiene and sanitation.
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 Analysis
The sixth category is about the school having communication
plan on how to coordinate with the stakeholders should there be
emergence of suspected cases and the seventh is the contingency
plans that provides several scenario on how schools will act should
there be positive and suspected cases among their learners and
personnel. The indicators from each category mainly speaks of
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keeping the school premises, classroom, learners and personnel safe
from the onslaught of COVID- 19 by abiding with the safety
measures and protocols mandated by the authorities. Content- wise,
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the SSAT gives the school a bird’s eye view on how the school
should be preparing in the new normal setup.
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 Analysis
The second area is focusing on teaching and learning which pertains
to the curriculum of the school in the new normal. In the normal
classroom setup, the classroom can cater a number of 40 students per
session but with the limited interaction ruling, a classroom can only cater
up to 20 learners at the maximum given the standard size of a classroom.
The implications of this limitation includes preparation of several class
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programs that would require additional teachers and classrooms when not
planned out well. School head and teachers will be forced to create a
comprehensive class schedules and programs that considers the
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manpower, availability of facilities and teaching loads just to come up

with a plan that adheres to the call of the observance of safety protocols.
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 Analysis
The second area was also divided into three categories—the learning
resources that ensures availability of modules, textbooks and other
resources that is necessary to learning continuity; face-to-face classes that
includes designing class programs and schedules observing the 6- hour
maximum interaction and prioritization of learners based on their
immediate learning needs and health issues; and, teacher support through
conduct of learning action cell for teachers to provide support plans in the
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delivery of better- quality basic education services. The second indicator is

actually the soul of the face-to-face classes. And the categories that it
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enumerated were just timely and relevant because more than getting ready
with the school’s physical environment, it is the learning resources and
manpower that has to be ready and well- planned out.
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 Analysis

The third area is the well- being and protection which includes an array
of plans that pertains to school safety, disinfection and COVID- 19
management. It enumerates the school needs for disinfection, the
development of plans for COVID- 19 cases and inclusion of the community
in identification of learners that is vulnerable and disadvantaged in terms of
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access to learning. The third area is just a duplication of the indicators

found on first two areas which makes it redundant on its very sense. All the
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categories can also be found in contingency plans and communications

plans curated by the school.
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 Analysis

The fourth area is the school- community coordination that includes the
cooperation of the community in ensuring that the school observes the
safety protocols. Similar to area number three, this could have been merged
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on the first two areas to avoid duplication of documents.

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 Analysis

• Necessity and Timeliness

It is undeniable that it is a necessary step for the schools to prepare for

the face-to-face classes given the numerous studies on modular learning
during pandemic which speaks more of the challenges rather than the
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pleasures of the learners and the parents alike.
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 Analysis
In a survey by Estrada, L.P. (2021) on the effectiveness of self- learning
modules, she described that modular learning approach is hanging by a
thread and that the plan seems to be flawed from the start. With so many
students, in public schools, it would be hard to give each one equal and
undivided attention. Teachers also struggle to reach out to their students
because of the economic and social factors along the way. Modular
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learning was considered the band-aid solution to the economic
shortcomings. Modular learning is heavily reliant on the More
Knowledgeable Others (MKOs) capacities which means that adult and
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knowledgeable figure in every household is needed so that students can

be taught o concepts they don’t understand.
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 Analysis
Additionally, in another study on Modular distance learning modality:
Challenges of teachers in teaching amid the Covid-19 pandemic by Acala,
M. (2021), the challenges encountered by teachers in checking and
evaluating students’ include: modules with no answers/ incomplete
answers, answer sheet with no names, limited time in checking due to
other tasks, low scores of students and not legible handwriting of students.
It is during the checking and evaluation of outputs that the teacher
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discovers the current performance of the student. It is difficult for the

teachers to validate the actual performance of the students since there are
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some who have tutors while others do not learn by themselves. While
modules are expected to be their self- learning guide, teachers admit that
students still need their guidance and teaching in learning a particular
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concept.
 Analysis

In a study “Implementation of Modular Distance Learning in the

Philippine Secondary Schools” by Dangle and Sumaoang (2020),
ninety percent of the respondents have admitted to be having a hard
time answering their modules with Mathematics topping the subject
tagged as most difficult. Respondents hailing from the mountainous
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area do not have a reliable internet connection. Other difficulties
that surfaced includes difficulty in self- studying, lack of sleep and
time to answer with a great deal of activities and distractions, and
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lack of focus.
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 Analysis
These are just among the local studies which shows that modular
learning is not a very good solution for the new normal kind of education,
thus the necessity for the school to open the face-to-face classes is just
timely. The issuance of the DepEd memorandums and orders reiterating
the mandates for reintroduction of “normal instruction” however has not
given the schools and its personnel the ample time to come up with all the
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indicators that needs to be accomplished. It could be an exciting and fun
way to prepare for the opening of the school since teachers and learners
alike are just as excited to resume what its like two years ago but given
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the time frame that the schools have , it became a strenuous, exhausting
and routinary job.
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 Analysis
“Too many paperworks to be accomplished and we have tons to prepare
for the opening of classes alone, it’s exhausting.”

“The schools were closed abruptly but now that we are opening it again, too
many requirements needs to be accomplished which is for me, is irrelevant.”
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“Actually, there parts in the SSAT that are necessary but there are those that
is not. There are requirements that must not be the scope for the schools to
provide like the isolation rooms, health forms among others that there are
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government agencies that must be provided for us but the school is being
burdened from it.”
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 Analysis

The following statements are just some of the feedbacks on how the
SSAT was perceived by some school personnel and it reflects that while
schools need a guide to prepare a safe and conducive learning
environment amid the COVID- 19 crisis, the Department of Education
needs to reassess what indicators are really a must and has to consider
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other work that the teachers need to do other than just preparing their
classrooms and painting the arrows for that traffic management.
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 Analysis
 Practicality and Beneficiality
While the SSAT may be perceive negatively because of the manner of
how it is prepared and the indicators that are seem endless to accomplish,
among its benefits is the school can assess the facilities and curriculum.
Some of the indicators included were already existent in other DepEd
programs like the health and hygiene being present in the School- based
Management; Contingency Plans were also mandated by the Disaster Risk
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Reduction and Management that every schools should have one; Record of
health and nutritional status should be present given that it is among the
school forms that teacher advisers need to accomplish; institutionalizing the
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School- Learning Action cell which is already a mandate from Deped Order
No. 35 series of 2016; and the usage of budgetary outlays, teacher’s guide
and Most Essential Learning Competencies (MELCS).
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 Analysis

The requirements allow the teachers to revisit their pedagogies and

teaching strategies which may have been forgotten during the modular
distance learning. It also allow the school head to check on the necessary
school facilities and programs prior to the pandemic which dictates the
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effectiveness of the school in delivering quality education.

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 Analysis

On the SSAT alone, however, it does not possess practicality since

there are requirements which forces the schools to provide additional
resources that is not really stipulated on the annual implementation plan
and in return, there will be projects which will be halted, realigned and
postponed just to cater the SSAT requirements. Annual implementation
plan is the annual outline of the necessary projects, procurements and
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plans that the school needs and having to realign it for the sole purpose of
accomplishing other unnecessary requirements will cause the delays on
what is really essential.
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 Analysis

Moreover, other requirements are just superficial. The social

distancing, seat plans and limited interactions do not really conform to
what is happening in the real classroom scenario. The teacher will not
always be around the learners to monitor that they would not mingle
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with one another.
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 Analysis
“What’s the use of the arrows when in fact, we know that when the learners
are inside the school, we cannot hinder them to not interact with one
another”.

“We are just wasting papers with this requirements when we could not
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even follow this in real life.”

COVID- 19 has already exhausted our resources—money, time and

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relationships. Going back to school should be a haven—where

learners would gladly look forward to going and learn and teachers
are eager to teach.
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 Analysis

Difficulties and Challenges

The main issue with the accomplishment of SSAT is its timeframe. It

was mandated alongside the rush of accomplishing integrative
assessments, weekly learning plans, printing and checking of modules,
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liquidation reports and end of school year checking of school forms and
accomplishing of grades.
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 Analysis

These pile of paperworks hinders the teachers in doing other aggregate

tasks such as beautification of the school and classroom arrangements as
mandated by the memorandum and the tool. There is also a thin line
between accomplishing the required indicators and the aesthetic factor
that entails with it. Instead of just being compliant, schools were
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unconsciously on a competition mode when it comes to classroom
arrangement. Instead of helping each other out to accomplish the
indicators, there is a silent comparison of who accomplished it best that
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adds up to the pressure on everyone.

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 Analysis

The need to understand that we need to coexist and have the good of
the learners in mind above all should take place and it has to start within
the core of our department. While competition is good, it should not
exhaust our time, our efforts and our resources. The tool, admittedly
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serves its purpose and as implementors of the tool, let us just assess what
is necessary, what is relevant and what is essential.
 
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 Conclusion
“We ensure that the health, safety and well- being of our learners, teachers
and personnel remain our utmost priority”, - Sec. Leonor M. Briones
After two years of the schools being idle of the laughs, plays and noise of
the learners, the Department of Education has finally signified its intentions
of reintroduction the face -to-face learning modality. Modular learning has
been the band- aid solution and admittedly, it possess more challenges rather
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than perks for the learners and parents alike. Prior to the opening of classes,
schools should first accomplish the school safety assessment tool to ensure
that all requirements are met in upholding a safe and COVID- free
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environment for our learners.

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 Conclusion

While the SSAT provides a comprehensive list of what the schools

needs to have before it can be declared ready, it also posed scenarios and
indicators that are impossible to met and maintain in real life making it
irrelevant. Furthermore, more than the compliance, it has created a
competitive and exhaustive atmosphere among schools with the
unconscious need to outdo one another. With that mindset, accomplishing
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the task as tedious as the SSAT will be indeed, tiring.

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 Conclusion

Lastly, may we all keep in mind that more than the flashy
classrooms and colorfully- painted school premises, the very core of
the existence of the school is for learning to take place. With that,
surely, doing them for our learners is more inspiring rather than tiring.
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