DepEd-7 tells schools to strengthen prevention initiatives vs coronavirus

CEBU CITY, Philippines -The Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd-7) is requiring all division offices to strengthen their prevention initiatives in all schools in the region against the 2019-novel coronavirus (nCov).

This directive was contained in Regional Memorandum No. 0063, series of 2020, which aims to ensure the safety of the students, teachers and non-teaching personnel and to give them an idea of what to do, in case a student would manifest symptoms of the virus.

The document was signed by DepEd-7 regional director Salustiano Jimenez on January 24, 2020.

Jimenez said that the memorandum teaches what the schools should do, whenever they’ve monitored a suspected case of 2019-nCov, and advocates that students and parents should not panic and to remain calm.

He added that the memorandum also instructs division superintendents to create a task force to oversee all school activities related to the prevention of said virus and take the lead in coordinating with the Department of Health (DOH) Task Forces, including mapping out of contingency plans in case a probable or suspected case of coronavirus is identified in their areas.

“In fact among gi-encourage ang mga schools to create a task force, para kung naay mahibaw-an dayon nga like naay gi-ubo or gihanlantan, ipa-check up dayon ug ipahibawo dayon sa district office, ngadto sa division office and kita pod diri sa regional office, aron makatabang dayon ug maka-assess dayon ta kun unsa gyuy angayan dayon nga buhaton,” Jimenez said.

The agency also urged teachers to conduct an orientation to their students, especially during their Music, Arts, Physical Education, and Health (MAPEH) classes, regarding the virus.

“This is to prevent scare. Aron mahibaw-an pod sa mga estudyante kun unsa ning coronavirus, unsay mga sintomas ani and how to avoid it,” he added.

Students and teachers who manifest symptoms of the virus such as fever and cough are also encouraged by Jimenez to seek early consultation for detection so that more severe health problems can be avoided.

He also urged teaching and non-teaching personnel of DepEd-7 to wear a mask, especially if they are sick or have been exposed to people with illnesses.

Jimenez, however, admitted that although their schools have clinics inside their campuses, majority are not manned by health professionals due to lack of budget.

“Seguro kadtong mga schools nga dunay 1,000 plus nga population, but the majority of them doesn’t have,” he said. /rcg