CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Various schools led by the city division of the Department of Education (DepEd) have begun ramping up preventive measures to avoid the potential spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
A memorandum issued by DepEd Superintendent Cherry Mae Limbac, dated March 12, directed all public and elementary schools to finish the fourth-quarter examinations between March 11 and March 20, but postponed the "moving up" and graduation ceremonies at a later date between April 13 and April 17.
As a "social distancing" measure, teachers were ordered to only allow 10 examinees to 20 examinees in a room, which means that there will be multiple schedules on different dates to accommodate all students.
During a press briefing on Friday, Dr. Alicia Anghay, DepEd's assistant schools division superintendent here, clarified that school principals can only declare a suspension of classes if there is one confirmed case of Covid-19 within the school -- whether it be a student, teaching, or non-teaching staff, and the case is validated by the Department of Health (DOH).
"If there are two or more schools that hosted people positive of Covid-19, the superintendent will declare a suspension of classes throughout the division, as long as it's confirmed by DOH," Anghay said.
She also said based on protocol, the DepEd 10 (Northern Mindanao) director can declare a suspension of classes at the regional level should there be two confirmed cases affecting two divisions in the region. These cases must also be confirmed by the DOH.
Meanwhile, private-run schools have implemented their Covid-19 measures as well.
On Friday, the basic education departments of Xavier University and Liceo de Cagayan University moved their respective examinations to earlier dates so that the students could take an early leave.
Liceo de Cagayan also suspended classes so that all its three campuses from elementary to college can undergo cleaning and sanitation procedures.
Meanwhile, the state-run University of Science and Technology in Southern Philippines' Cagayan de Oro Campus encouraged its faculty to adopt mixed-method instruction by engaging students online to limit attendance at school.
Mayor Oscar Moreno has also called on the public to cooperate with authorities to prevent the spread of Covid-19, pointing out that the city is the regional center for the engagement of Covid-19 protocols in Northern Mindanao.
"This now calls for patriotism, your attachment to the community. Do you want the community to rise up from this difficult situation or do you want to save yourself? These demands sacrifice from all of us," Moreno said. (PNA)
