DepEd to help find schools for displaced Colegio de San Lorenzo students

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday said it will help find new schools for the displaced students of Colegio de San Lorenzo in Quezon City (QC), after it announced its permanent closure due to financial reasons.

In an Unang Balita interview, DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said Colegio de San Lorenzo did not ask DepEd for permission nor inform the agency about its intent to close.

He said that the educational institution had a “voluntary closure,” citing Section 43 of DepEd Order (DO) 88 s. 2010.

In response to this, Poa said the DepEd will assist affected students in looking for schools that will absorb them, considering that School Year 2022-2023 will already start on Monday, August 22.

“Sa ganyang paraan muna natin susubukan tulungan ang mga learners. Maghahanap tayo ng mga schools that can help absorb the students kasi nga ilang araw na lang po ay pasukan na,” he said.

(We will first try to help the learners in that way. We will look for schools that can help absorb them because it's now only a few days before schools reopen.)

QC school willing to help

In a message to reporters, Poa said that there is a private school in Quezon City that has already informed DepEd that it is willing to absorb the students, particularly Grades 11 and 12, with the same tuition rate as that of Colegio de San Lorenzo.

He said the DepEd hopes more schools will do the same.

Poa also called on Colegio de San Lorenzo to immediately facilitate the transfer of records of students and refund the tuition of those who have already enrolled for the incoming school year.

Poa said that based on protocols, DepEd will only issue an acknowledgement of closure once they are assured that the transfer credentials of the affected students are processed and released by the school.

Asked about the assistance DepEd could provide for the displaced teaching personnel, Poa said under Section 84 of the same DO, private school teachers who are terminated due to voluntary closure of private schools shall be entitled to separation pay.

“As to any form of assistance that the DepEd can provide, we will explore this. But again, I have to emphasize that these are private school teachers,” he added.

Colegio de San Lorenzo on Monday said that its Board of Trustees decided to permanently close the institution “due to the financial instability and lack of financial viability brought about by the ongoing pandemic and exacerbated by consistent low enrollment turnout over the past years.”

CHED

In a separate interview on Dobol TV, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairperson Prospero de Vera III said schools usually inform the commission in advance of their impending closure.

He said this did not happen with Colegio de San Lorenzo.

“Ito medyo bigla-bigla kaya meron tayong problema dito sa pagsara nila [The closure of Colegio de San Lorenzo is so sudden; that is why we have a problem with this],” De Vera said.

Before closure, De Vera said that schools must prepare for the transfer of students’ documents to their new schools and ensure the separation pay of affected workers.

Online classes sought

Some faculty members and parents, meanwhile, have requested the school to conduct online classes for its graduating students amid its permanent closure, said student Nicole Anne Clavio in a separate Unang Balita interview.

She said the school's response to the request will be known within the week.

QC government

The local government of Quezon City said that it had taken initiatives to help students, parents, teachers and employees of the school.

In a statement, Mayor Joy Belmonte said she has instructed the City’s Legal Department (CDL) to look into the affected stakeholders to ensure that the school would take responsibility.

“We will extend all possible assistance to the students and parents, especially since the school year has started. We shall help in coordinating with other schools, colleges, and universities where affected students can transfer with their credentials credited,” Belmonte said.

“We need to ensure that no student will encounter any delay in their studies, especially the graduating or senior ones, and that their refund will be given quickly. The teaching and administrative personnel should also be taken care of,” she added.

The Mayor said teachers and non-teaching personnel will be endorsed to the city’s Public Employment Service Office for possible financial assistance or prospective employment.

For her part, Quezon City University (QCU) president Dr. Theresita Atienza said they are willing to accept interested students, particularly the graduating ones.

“The QCU will welcome the college students of CDSL and we will help in crediting their classes and helping them have a smooth transition to our university,” Atienza said. —with Joviland Rita and Mel Matthew Doctor/KBK/BM, GMA News