By Kenneth Paciente
The Department of Education (DepEd) is investigating the conduct of face-to-face training held by the DepEd Schools Division in Zambales last March 2 to 6, which allegedly exposed its personnel to COVID-19.
In a statement, the agency said that “appropriate disciplinary actions for authorities who breached protocols will be taken once the investigation is finalized.”
DepEd also clarified that “it had no prior approval of any face-to-face activities related to In-Service Training (INSET) and other seminars for teachers.”
“The Department strictly adheres to the guidelines and required health protocols on work and office arrangements set by the IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force], the Department of Health (DOH), and the Civil Service Commission (CSC),” the statement read.
In a separate statement, Zambales Schools Division Chief Leonardo Zapanta took the blame for the incident.
“I take full responsibility over the situation.” Zapanta said. “I plea to the public to give us time to do immediate actions to ensure that all employees will be safe and provide support to all who are affected.”
Related to this, the Teachers Dignity Coalition (TDC) asked DepEd to strictly implement work-from-home arrangement for teachers, saying there are about 30 teachers in Zambales who contracted the virus after attending the training.
“Ito pong seminar na ito ay hindi naman esensiyal at maaari sanang ipinagpaliban na lamang o ginawang virtual, kagaya ng nakagawian na sa DepEd at sa buong mundo mula noong nakaraang taon.” TDC Chairperson Benjo Basas said in statement.
[This seminar was not essential and could have been deferred or conducted virtually, as has been the practice in DepEd and the entire world the past year.]
“Muli po kaming nananawagan sa DepEd na sana ay huwag isugal ang buhay at kaligtasan ng mga guro, at istriktong ipatupad ang mga health protocols at ang mismong kautusan nito hinggil naman sa alternative work arrangement o AWA,” Basas added.
[Once more we call upon DepEd to not gamble with the lives and safety of teachers, and to strictly enforce health protocols and its own guidelines related to alternative work arrangements.]
Meanwhile, DepEd is now closely monitoring the teachers who were exposed to the virus, saying they have already coordinated with the concerned field offices to provide medical assistance and psychosocial support for them.
It also reminded the personnel at its field offices “to exercise prudence and observe existing alternative work arrangements and protocols of CSC [Civil Service Commission] and DepEd, including prohibiting large physical gatherings, to avoid similar incidents.”
