By Connie Calipay/PNA
LEGAZPI CITY — The Department of Education (DepED) regional office here is discouraging school heads from inviting politicians, especially those who are running in the May 13 mid-term elections, as guest speakers in the upcoming graduation ceremonies.
In an interview on Wednesday, DepEd Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad said a graduation rite should be simple but meaningful to encourage civil rights, sense of community and personal responsibility.
“We discourage school officials to invite politicians during graduation, although sasabihan mo sila na ‘wag mangampanya (although they were told not to campaign) once they were given microphone, you cannot control (them),” he said.
Sadsad believes that politicians will take advantage of being a guest speaker and use it as an opportunity to campaign.
“The rites and moving up or completion ceremony shall be conducted in an appropriate solemn ceremony befitting the learners and their parents and shall not be used as political forum,” he said.
Sadsad said an alumnus who is now a professional and making an impact in the community could be the best guest speaker in a graduation rite.
With the theme “Pagkakaisa sa Pagkakaiba-iba: Kalidad na Edukasyon para sa Lahat (Unity in Diversity: Quality Education for All)” end of school year ceremonies shall be conducted not earlier than April 1 but not later than April 5, 2019, the DepEd official said.
Sadsad added that for public schools, expenses related to graduation ceremonies are chargeable to school Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE).
“No DepEd personnel shall be allowed to collect any kind of contribution or fee for graduation/moving up/completion” he said.
