By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
In the wake of school shooting incidents that took place in the cities of Tacloban and Zamboanga, the Department of Education (DepEd) continues to double down on interventions that would keep students safe from perpetrators.
This, as the DepEd released Order No. 006, s. 2026, or the Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment (ESMLE).
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in a statement, “Nais natin magbigay ng pagkakataon para magbago ang ating mga mag-aaral, ngunit hindi natin kailanman ikukompromiso ang kaligtasan ng nakararami. Ang paaralan ay dapat maging ligtas at tahimik na lugar para sa lahat.”
Under the policy, various agencies will take immediate action whenever a serious violation is recorded. School authorities will coordinate directly with the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), LGUs, and communities to address safety threats, whether occurring within the school premises or online.
Among the corresponding penalties outlined by DepEd were as follows:
- First level or minor infractions (written reprimand, parental notification, and guidance counseling)
- Second-level or serious offenses such as repeated bullying and online harassment (suspension of up to five days and a mandatory referral to the DSWD for the first offense; non-readmission for the second; and direct exclusion for the third)
- Third-level or high-risk acts such as severe physical violence, bomb threats, or dangerous hoaxes (immediate non-readmission upon the first offense, permanent exclusion upon the second, and the formal endorsement of the case to the authorities)
School heads also have the authority to impose a 30-day preventive suspension pending an investigation if the student poses a continuing threat to campus safety.
Meanwhile, teachers are directly involved in the process for handling bullying incidents, which includes notifying parents of the erring student at all levels, which goes as follows:
- Second-level offenses (the Learner Formation Officer intervenes and makes recommendations to the school head, depending on the situation)
- Third-level offenses are resolved by the School Head, who also imposes the appropriate disciplinary measures
In addition to administrative penalties, DepEd emphasized that referral to external authorities could lead to potential criminal liability or custody intervention, depending on the gravity of the offense committed.
jpv
