BY IME SORNITO & GLENDA TAYONA
ILOILO City – The 4,048 public schools in Western Visayas are ready to resume classes, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.
Today, Aug. 29, is the official start of school year 2023-2024 for all public schools.
There are 969 private schools and 4,048 public schools in the region.
“All are ready; they are very much prepared, ginhandaan gid ni nila,” said Hernani Escullar Jr., information officer of DepEd-6, in an interview with Panay News.
He added that teachers, even during the students’ vacation, continue to undergo training and seminars to be well-capacitated.
All provisions and issuances relevant to the opening of classes were implemented by Schools Division Offices (SDOs), such as Department Order No. 21, Series of 2023, by Vice President and DepEd secretary Sara Duterte, which states: “Schools shall ensure that school grounds, classrooms and all their walls and other school facilities are clean and free from unnecessary artwork, decorations, tarpaulin and posters at all times. Oversized signage with commercial advertisements, words of sponsorship and/or endorsement, or announcements of any kind or nature shall be taken down.”
Escullar said one of the priorities of Brigada Eskwela was stripping the classroom walls of decorations.
In a memorandum, DepEd-6 director Dr. Ramir B. Uytico reminded of the implementation of the Child Protection Policy, as learners from Kinder will also start face-to-face classes.
“We know nga mabalik ang aton kabataan. We don’t want nga may malain nga matabu sa ila. That’s why ang aton sini nga regional director nagahatag sang emphasis sa child protection policy,” said Escullar.
In terms of safety, peace and order, Uytico said SDOs should enjoin enforcement entities such as barangay officials and tanods.
For SY 2023-2024, DepEd expects more or less 2 million learners from public and private schools.
DepEd-6 is still consolidating the final number of enrollees, but Escullar said more than 1.5 million learners were enrolled based on a quick count as of 8 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 27.
Last SY 2022-2013, there were 2,087,486 enrolled learners in the region: public schools – 1,886,720; private schools – 197,171; and SUCs and LUCs – 3,595, DepEd-6 data showed.
PNP augments on security
Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director Colonel Joeresty Coronica assured they are ready to secure peace and order during the opening of classes.
Coronica said they deployed personnel in schools and strategic and congested areas.
The ICPO director reminded parents, guardians and learners to be vigilant.
“They have to be vigilant kay pag-start sang classes, ang kawatan, snatchers and pickpocketers basi magdugok man sila kag gusto gid na nila ang lugar nga gutok,” Coronica told Panay News.
He also said traffic enforcers and barangay tanods will augment traffic management around school premises./PN
