DepEd to school execs: Know hazards in pupils’ way home

CEBU, Philippines - Following the drowning incident in Argao last week, the Department of Education in Cebu province has urged school officials to know the hazards that their students would encounter on their way home.

“Ang teachers makig-estorya gyud sa ilang estudyante unya ilang pangutan-on unsa ilang difficulties ba ron inig uli sa ilaha, maglisod ba sila og tabok,” said Dr. Arden Monisit, Cebu Schools Division superintendent, in a phone interview with The FREEMAN.

Monisit said the data from the query would be collated which can be used by the department in making representations to the concerned government agencies.

He also reminded the schools of their duty to ensure the safety of their students. DepEd-Cebu has already submitted its situational report to DepEd-7, which has the disciplining authority.

Monisit said it would already be the regional office that would evaluate if there were indeed lapses on the part of the school when the drowning incident happened.

On September 8, three students of Calagasan National High School were found dead after being swept away by a flash flood while crossing a river on their way home.

The victims were identified as Ritchelle Pasaje, 15, and Caroline Marson, 15, both from Barangay Canbantog, and Earl Kyle Sarbido, 13, of Barangay Linut-od.

Monisit said that while it was right that the school head decided to suspend classes at 4 p.m. upon the assessment that the school was already flooded, students should not have been allowed to go with no adult supervising them on their way home.

Class advisers were required, through a memorandum issued by Monisit during the opening of classes in June, to have a database of contact information of parents or guardians of their students so that the students will not be allowed to go home without an adult guardian accompanying them.

Monisit added that school officials have been oriented on the contingency measures during calamity or impending disaster even before the start of the school year.

This include the rules on class suspension which gives school heads the discretion to suspend class even without the declaration of the local chief executive or advice from PAGASA. – (FREEMAN)