ILOILO – As school year 2022-2023 comes to a close, the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 reiterated the guidelines for End-of-School-Year Rites (EOSY), particularly the “no collection” policy.
Under DepEd Order 009, Series of 2023, “classes shall formally end on July 7, 2023. Each school has the discretion to select the date for this year’s rites not earlier than July 10 and not later than July 14, 2023. Private schools that started earlier and public and private schools with an extended school year due to unforeseen circumstances shall be guided by their approved revised school calendar.”
The department order and Regional Memorandum 328 (guidelines on the conduct of EOSY) promote “simple but meaningful” ceremonies, according to Hernani Escullar Jr., information officer of DepEd-6.
This includes holding moving-up and graduation ceremonies within school premises.
Wearing extravagant attire is also discouraged.
“Let us conduct it in a way that marks our learner’s life milestone,” Escullar told Panay News yesterday morning.
Regarding DepEd’s “no collection policy”, parents or guardians would have to spend nothing for moving-up and graduation ceremonies, Escullar said.
Expenses relative to the activity shall be charged to the school’’s maintenance and other operating expenses.
“No collection policy. Meaning, schools cannot collect money from our parents or learners,” Escullar further clarified.
DepEd-6, headed by regional director Dr. Ramir B. Uytico, authorized schools and parents-teachers associations to have a meeting or forum on planning the rites.
Moreover, the speech of the invited keynote speaker(s) should also revolve around the theme for this EOSY: “Gradwyt ng K to 12: Hinubog ng Matatag ba Edukasyon (K to 12 Graduates: Molded through a Resilient Educational Foundation)”.
Here are the DepEd guidelines in the conduct of EOSY for 2022-2023:
* Observance of physical distancing and wearing of facemask shall not be mandatory.
* DepEd encourages full face-to-face moving-up and graduation ceremonies.
* Classes shall formally end on July 7, 2023. Each school has the discretion to elect the date for the holding of this year’s rites not earlier than July 10 and not later than July 14, 2023. Private schools that started earlier and public and private schools with an extended school year due to unforeseen circumstances shall be guided by their approved revised school calendar.
* EOSY rites shall focus on the theme: “Gradwyt ng K to 12: Hinubog ng Matatag na Edukasyon (K to 12 Graduates: Molded through a Resilient Educational Foundation)” which emphasizes the graduation is not only a celebratory milestone but also a symbol of resilience, agency and grit of Filipino learners honed by a solid basic education system that is responsive to the changing needs of time.
* Excessive spending, extravagant attire, or extraordinary venue for the conduct of graduation and moving-up ceremonies is being discouraged.
* Electioneering and partisan political activity are prohibited.
* Collection any kind of contributions or graduation/moving-up fee is prohibited.
* Graduation and moving-up ceremonies should be simple yet meaningful. While these rites mark a milestone in the lives of the learners, these should be conducted without excessive spending, extravagant attire or extraordinary venue.
* Non-academic projects articulated in Department Order No. 66, Series of 2017 entitled Implementing Guidelines on the Conduct of Off-Campus Activities such as attendance to field trips, film showing, JS promenade and other school events should not be imposed as requirements for graduation or completion.
* Moving-up or graduation rites shall be conducted in an appropriate solemn ceremony befitting the graduating students and their family and shall not be used as political forum.
* Casual or formal wear or school uniform shall remain as the recommended moving-up and graduation attire. Toga or sablay is allowed to worn as in additional garb.
Private schools, higher education institutions, technical vocational institutions, state universities and colleges and local universities and colleges (SUCs/LUCs) offering basic education or any grade levels thereof may opt to adopt the provision of this department order as basis in the conduct of their moving-up/graduation ceremonies.
Kindergarten and Grade 10 learners will have a moving-up ceremony while Grade 6 and Grade 12 learners will have a graduation ceremony.
In Region 6, the estimated number of graduating Grade 6 and Grade 12 learners as of June 15, 2023 reached 292,833. Of this, 503 learners are from SUCs/LUCs; 37,822 (private schools); and 254,508 (public schools).
Here is the breakdown of graduating learners per Schools Division Office (SDO): Aklan (23,047), Antique (23,844), Bacolod City (21,987), Bago City (6,770), Cadiz City (6,044), Capiz (22,319), Escalante City (3,669), Guimaras (6,787), Himamaylan City (4,062), Iloilo (68, 491), Iloilo City (18,862), Kabankalan City (8,106), La Carlota City (2,595), Negros Occidental (44,307), Passi City (3,461), Roxas City (6,037), Sagay City (6,182,), San Carlos City (4,752), Silay City (4,434), Sipalay City 3,350), and Victorias City (3,725).
Meanwhile, there will be an estimated 314,495 learners in the region who will be having their moving-up ceremony. Of this, 662 are from SUCs/LUCs; 33,482 (private schools); and 280,391 (public schools).
Here is the breakdown per SDO: Aklan (22,792), Antique (24,126), Bacolod City (24,246), Bago City (6,838), Cadiz City (6,575), Capiz (22,619), Escalante City (4,135), Guimaras (6,611), Himamaylan City (4,993), Iloilo (74,494), Iloilo City (16,330), Kabankalan City (9,697), La Carlota City (3,023), Negros Occidental (53,871), Passi City (3,748), Roxas City (5,916), Sagay City (6,640), San Carlos City (5,070), Silay City (5,256), Sipalay City (3,539), and Victorias City (3,976).
This is the first that the region will conduct full face-to-face moving-up and graduation ceremonies since the coronavirus pandemic broke out in 2020./PN
