RECOGNIZED. Lawigan Elementary School teacher Rosalina Satojeto-Serguino (left) receives her plaque of recognition from officials of the Department of Education in Antique led by Superintendent Felisa Beriong (right) during the celebration of the National Teachers Day in San Jose de Buenavista on Oct. 5, 2021. Serguino’s carabao-driven sled makeshift stage was used to reach out to their graduating learners during their mobile graduation on July 16, 2021. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Antique has given recognition to the principal and the teacher of two elementary schools in the province whose unique mobile graduation ceremonies for the school year 2020-2021 went viral.
DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Felisa Beriong said they really took effort to let their learners experience the joy of graduation.
“We would like to show our appreciation for their innovativeness amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic,” she said Tuesday in her message during the National Teacher’s Day celebration held at the Robinsons Mall Antique in this capital town.
Recognized were Arnulfo Batiao, principal of the Tulatula Elementary School in Barangay Tulatula, Sibalom; and Rosalina Satojeto-Serguino, adviser of the Grade 6 learners of the Lawigan Elementary School in Barangay Lawigan in Tobias Fornier.
Tulatula Elementary School carried on with its mobile graduation ceremony by making a makeshift stage out of a multicab, while the Lawigan Elementary School made a stage out of sled driven by a carabao.
In an interview with Serguino, who personally received her plaque of recognition, she said it was her love and compassion for students that motivated her to find a way to hold a mobile graduation for her graduating learners on July 16.
Serguino said she never thought that the unique graduation ceremony would catch the media’s attention.
“I never expected that the idea would become popular with teachers from other parts of the country, as well as from Australia, (they are) getting in touch with me now,” she added.
The Lawigan Elementary School is about eight kilometers away from the town proper.
Serguino said she wanted their graduating learners to experience the joy and excitement of going up the graduation stage.
She added they could not hold a virtual graduation for their learners because there is no internet signal in their area. Some parents do not have gadgets or even just cellular phones.
Graduating learners and their families got overwhelmed because after all their hardships, they were reaping success, she said.
“We have to do our best to show our love and concern to our learners,” Serguino said in her message to her fellow teachers.
She said teachers should really love their work and find ways on how to help their learners realize their aspirations in life.
Serguino said the recognition that she received on October 5 made her happy on this “momentous day”. (PNA)
