The Department of Education (DepEd) maintained that local government units (LGUs) must implement the latest class suspension guidelines in times of typhoon and other calamities issued last month.
DepEd spokesman Michael Poa reminded the LGUs of the department’s objective of maximizing learning recovery in light of the resumption of face-to-face classes. Public schools across the country are set to will implement full face-to-face classes by November 2 while private institutions may resort to hybrid arrangement.
DepEd remains steadfast in its goal to provide accessible and quality basic education for all but enjoined the LGUs’ cooperation, Poa said.
“Help our learners recover from learning losses and suspend classes only during public emergencies, severe weather disturbances, and calamities,” he said.
Poa appealed to LGUs to support DepEd efforts to provide continuous learning the children even as Tropical Storm Paeng lashed across Luzon and the Visayas on Friday, and a magnitude 6.4 earthquake that jolted Abra on Tuesday, resulted in class suspension in the affected areas.
“DepEd is against the unnecessary cancellation of classes and the use of our schools as billeting areas for events that are not related to the curriculum,” Poa said in a statement.
“Your support affords uninterrupted class sessions for our learners, and helps our teachers avoid unnecessary make-up classes, which pose an additional burden to their teaching load,” he added,
DepEd issued last Department Order 37 or the Guidelines on the Cancellation or Suspension of Classes and Work in Schools in the Event of Natural Disasters, Power Outages/Power Interruptions, and other calamities.
The guidelines state that in-person and online classes from kindergarten to Grade 12 and work are automatically suspended in areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Nos. 1 to 5; or when the weather bureau issues orange (intense) and red (torrential) rainfall warnings, or flood warning.
During earthquakes, in-person, online classes, and work from kindergarten to Grade 12 and Alternative Learning Systems are automatically canceled in schools situated in LGUs with Intensity Scale 5 (strong) or above declared by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
Local chief executives may decide on the cancellation of classes when there are strong winds, but no TCWS was issued, when there are torrential rains in specific areas or when there is flooding even if no warning has been issued.