by John Rey Saavedra/PNA
The Department of Education (DepEd) in Central Visayas on Monday warned teachers and school administrators that they will be sanctioned if they engage in partisan activities.
DepEd regional director, Dr. Juliet Jeruta, reminded the personnel of public elementary and secondary schools in the region that they are being monitored to ensure that the education department is politics-free.
The Education department has an existing policy prohibiting schools from engaging in any political activity in all elections, Jeruta said. “In fact, long before the election, we were given memo by DepEd Secretary (Leonor) Briones, warning us all not to engage in any partisan politics,” she added.
Jeruta stressed that school administrators and faculty members are prohibited from “inviting politicians during an event and announcing his accomplishments to the public”.
“Such an act of announcing the accomplishments would tend to enhance the image of the political candidate before the voting public,” she told the Philippine New Agency (PNA) in an interview. “Partisan activity is strictly prohibited in schools.”
Jeruta also said that politicians are not allowed to hang their campaign streamers and posters in school-buildings and campus walls.
“We will not hesitate to investigate teaching and non-teaching staffs who will be subjected to citizens’ reporting,” she said. “That is why we are warning them that any citizens can report them if their actions suggest they engage in partisan activity.”
Earlier, Briones discouraged school administrators from inviting politicians as speakers in graduation ceremonies and instead urged them to choose those who could convey motivational and inspirational messages to the students.
