FACE-TO-FACE school classes won’t open until a vaccine for the coronavirus that has sickened more than 22,000 and killed about a thousand in the Philippines is found, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

“We will comply with the President’s directive to postpone face-to-face classes until a vaccine is available,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said in a statement on Monday, taking her cue from President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

The President last month said he would only allow classes once a vaccine for the COVID-19 virus has become available, citing the risk of an outbreak in schools.

Mr. Duterte locked down the entire Luzon island in mid-March, suspending work, classes and public transportation to contain the pandemic. People should stay home except to buy food and other basic goods, he said.

He extended the quarantine for the island twice and thrice for the capital region. The lockdown in Metro Manila has since been eased, but mass gatherings across the nation remain banned.

The Philippines has four levels of lockdowns — enhanced, modified enhanced, general and modified general community quarantine.

Under the so-called new normal, restrictions will be eased and minimum health standards should be observed.

In a taped address aired on Friday, Mr. Duterte again said classes should not be allowed without a vaccine. He also said he doubted the country’s readiness for distance learning.

“Indeed, it is a challenging task for us at the Department of Education to prepare our schools in a different setup but we are committed to our duty to make education available and thriving, even in the most difficult time,” Ms. Briones said.

She also told an online news briefing yesterday he would ask Mr. Duterte to allow face-to-face classes in places that are coronavirus-free.

The Department of Health reported 579 new coronavirus infections yesterday, bringing the total to 22,474.

The death toll rose to 1,011 after eight more patients died, while 107 more patients have gotten well, raising the total recoveries to 4,637, it said in a bulletin.

Of the new cases, 331 were reported in the past three days, while 248 were reported late, DoH said.

Ms. Briones said schools that would be allowed to hold physical classes must follow minimum health standards including reduced class size, she added.

She said the agency has prepared learning programs and modules that will be used online or delivered to students starting August.

Ms. Briones said they were ready to enforce distance learning amid criticism that the country was not ready for this. “We have been doing distance and blended learning for decades,” she said.

The Education chief said DepEd could enforce blended learning, which involves the use of the Internet, printed or digital modules, radio and television.

The agency was also training teachers for the new platform, Ms. Briones said, adding that they have been working with education experts and partners from the private sector to develop, acquire and deploy learning resources.

As of Monday morning, about 6.4 million students have enrolled in public and private schools nationwide, according to data provided by DepEd.

More than 27 million students enrolled in public and private schools, state universities and colleges in the past school year.

Students have until the end of the month to enroll in public schools for the school year that will start on Aug. 24. — Gillian M. Cortez and Vann Marlo M. Villegas

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