DepEd lifts temporary ban on gathering of students, teachers order due to COVID-19

DirectorSalustiano Jimenez of the Department of Education in Central Visayas /CDN file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — School activities entailing a gathering of students and teachers can now resume after the Department of Education has lifted starting on that day its order to put on hold this kind of activities as a preventive measure against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Director Salustiano Jimenez, Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7), told CDN Digital that DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones had issued Memorandum No. 23 series of 2020, allowing the resumption of any activities in the department, which he received just on February 19, 2020.

Briones in early February issued an order suspending all school activities, which would entail a gathering of students and teachers, as a precaution to the COVID-19.

With the lifting of the order to ban these activities being lifted, schools can now hold commencement exercises and the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVRAA) meet that will happen from March 15 to 21, 2020.

“Actually, we already received the third set of policy in relation to COVID-19, and ang tanang mga activities, national, and division nga will resume effective February 24, so pwede na maka-conduct,” Jimenez said.

The memorandum also ordered the 14-day quarantine of students in basic education, who had a travel history to COVID-19-infected countries, especially in China, Macau, and Hong Kong.

“Automatic gyud ang mga bata dili patunghaon, i-quarantine una og 14-days,” he added.

While a student would be subjected to quarantine, Jimenez said that they would not be marked absent and they would be provided with modules and ADM (Alternative Delivery Modes) materials so that they would not be behind in their lessons.

Jimenez, however, clarified that as of the moment, the agency had not recorded any student from basic education who was subjected to quarantine procedures./dbs