K-12 classes, work suspended under any storm signal —DepEd

Classes from kindergarten to Grade 12, and work in public schools are now automatically canceled in areas under any public storm signals, based on the updated order released by the Department of Education (DepEd).

Based on the revised DepEd Order (DO) 37, signed by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte, during typhoons, in-person and online classes, work, and Alternative Learning System (ALS) are suspended in schools located in areas where Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS) 1, 2 ,3, 4, or 5 were raised by PAGASA.

TCWS from 1 to 5 are currently hoisted over several areas in the country due to Super Typhoon Karding.

Meanwhile, class and work suspension are also called for in kindergarten to Grade 12 in schools situated in areas issued with an Orange or Red Rainfall Warning, or Flood Warning from PAGASA.

DepEd said that local chief executives may decide on class suspensions if their local government unit (LGU) is under Yellow Rainfall Warning from the state weather bureau.

DO 37 also mandates that if the TCWS, Rainfall Warning, or Flood Warning was issued when classes have already begun, schools shall immediately suspend classes and work, and send everyone home, if it is safe to do so.

Schools are however obligated to keep the students and personnel inside if traveling becomes unsafe for them.

Local chief executives are likewise given the authority to decide on the suspension of classes in cases where there are strong winds, torrential rains, or floods in specific or all areas of the LGU, but are not covered by any of the PAGASA warning.

Earthquakes

In cases of earthquakes, DO 37 states that in-person and online classes in kindergarten to Grade 12, work, and ALS are also automatically canceled in schools in areas where the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) declared a quake with Phivolcs Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS) V or above.

Local chief executives are also given the liberty to suspend classes in cases where the PEIS is IV and below.

School principals can also cancel classes at any PEIS if in their assessment, their school buildings and other structures are seen to be in danger of collapsing or are found to have major damage.

The School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Team Head is thus tasked to clear the return of students and personnel in buildings and other school structures.

Power outages

Further, DO 37 mentioned that there will be no automatic class suspension if there are power outages or interruptions in schools.

School officials are however given discretion to cancel classes if such power outages result in a “poor learning environment.”

DO 37 in effect

In a message to reporters, DepEd spokesperson Atty. Michael Poa said that the DO 37 is already in effect as it was already reuploaded on the agency’s website and filed with the Office of the National Administrative Registrar (ONAR) on September 20, 2022.

Confusion arose after DepEd released the same DO on September 1, without the wet signature of the ONAR of the University of the Philippines Law Center.

This resulted in the taking down of the DO from DepEd’s website.

A policy of the reuploaded DO stated that modular distance learning, performance tasks, projects, or make up classes will be implemented to ensure that learning competencies and objectives are still met by students amid the class suspensions due to calamities.

Students who also miss learning activities due to such events shall also be accorded due consideration in their attendance and the completion of their learning tasks.

In the case of private schools, community learning centers, state and local universities and colleges (SUCs/LUCs), DepEd said they have the option whether or not to abide by the provisions of the said DO.

Evacuation centers

Based on the same DO, schools could no longer be used as quarantine and/or isolation facilities or vaccination centers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

DepEd also said that the memorandums allowing schools as quarantine, isolation, and vaccination centers are now repealed.

However, mobile vaccinations of not more than two days that do not disrupt classes or school co-curricular activities may be allowed, DepEd said.

DepEd has been coordinating with the Department of Health to roll out a mobile COVID-19 vaccination and organize counseling sessions among unvaccinated learners and teachers in schools.

Moreover, the DepEd said that in case of other disasters, schools may be used as an immediate evacuation site that should not last for more than 15 days.

LGUs are likewise mandated not to use schools as long-term shelters for evacuees. —LBG, GMA News