CEBU CITY — A total of 338 schools in Region 7 are considered not yet ready for the opening of classes on June 4, said the Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) on Tuesday here.
DepEd-7 OIC-Regional Director Dr. Juliet A. Jeruta said schools in the region are considered not yet ready for the coming 2018-2019 school year due to lack of teachers, water and sanitation facilities, electricity, and classrooms.
However, Dr. Jeruta said that these schools can still hold classes despite the lack of necessities and other resources.
“The word readiness here doesn’t mean they (teachers) cannot teach or they cannot hold classes because their facilities are insufficient,” Dr. Jeruta said. “To indicate readiness, the facilities must be sufficient with the number of users.”
A school can only be considered ready if it is ready in all aspects, Jeruta added.
“A school might be ready in other aspects. But if it doesn’t have electricity, it is still considered not ready because it must be ready in all aspects,” she said.
Jeruta led the launching of DepEd’s “Oplan Balik Eskwela” on Tuesday at the DepEd Regional Office in Lahug, this city.
With her at the launching were DepEd-7 OIC-assistant regional director Salustiano T. Jimenez and Schools Division Superintendent Gregorio Cyrus Elejorde.
Jeruta said the Department of Education is now identifying the deficiencies of each school and will address the problems to make the schools ready for the opening of classes.
She also urged newly elected barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) officials to help the DepEd in disseminating information on “Oplan Balik Eskwela” to make sure that parents and students will be made fully aware of the campaign.
“Everyone should campaign, especially newly elected barangay and SK officials. I urged them to put tarpaulins and signages in areas where there are many houses, or in the center of the barangay to disseminate that by June 4 classes will start right away and instructions will start immediately,” Jeruta said.
Classes in public schools start on June 4. Private schools can schedule their respective opening of classes but must not be later than August 30, the DepEd OIC-director said. (With Bebie Jane Casipong/PNA)
