MANILA -- The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday said it did not violate its order to suspend all school congregations to lessen the risk of spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
"We would like to reiterate that all DepEd officials are following the first Policy Directives of the Task Force nCoV as stated in Department Memorandum No. 15 series 2020. DepEd allows activities within the school as long as personnel and learners are exhibiting respiratory infections are prohibited to attend," said Education Undersecretary Alain Del Pascua said in a statement.
Pascua made the remark after the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said that DepEd exposed the Grade 9 learners at the Ramon Magsaysay High School in Quezon City to health risks during an anti-drug culmination activity.
Education Undersecretary Tonisito Umali attended the activity which was led by the Philippine National Police.
"We firmly adhere to our primary mandate of protecting our teachers and personnel and our 27.2 million learners. We encourage ACT to help us on this mission so that more Filipinos will be informed on the proper ways of dealing with nCoV," Pascua said.
To keep its schools, personnel, and learners free from the 2019-nCoV, the DepEd, with the help of the Department of Health, has issued preemptive safety precautions and protocols.
Pascua advised ACT to do its part in making learners become informed about the 2019-nCoV outbreak and "not sow divisions and haphazard intrigues which could create unnecessary panic for the larger public".
"Let us drop our political leanings, even just for this urgent public health situation, and fight together for the protection of our children. The real enemy is the nCoV virus and bickering at this point makes all of us losers in this fight," he said. (PNA)
