The Department of Education Region XI (DepEd-XI) announced that it will allow public primary and secondary schools in Davao City to conduct face to face moving-up, recognition, and graduation ceremonies for the end of the schoolyear 2021-2022; as long as the instructions within the memorandum sent out by DepEd, which mandates public health and safety guidelines, is fulfilled before and followed during these events.
In an interview during the Madayaw Davao program aired over the Davao City Disaster Radio, DepEd-XI Spokesperson Jenelito Atillo said that schools planning to conduct end-of-schoolyear rites must prioritize the acquisition of parents’ consent, ensure that each participating student will be accompanied by only one parent or guardian, and to make certain that seating arrangements are assigned beforehand with due consideration to social distancing protocols.
However, Atillo said that the most important factor in the DepEd memorandum is for schools to hold ceremonies in a hybrid modality for apprehensive parents and students who would prefer to join the rites online.
“Naay face-to-face og online kay dili pwede nimo pugson tong dili gusto mag face-to-face. Ang ubang mga ginikanan medyo apprehensive pa unya imoha gyud ipa-apil sa face-to-face. The school should ready itself a hybrid kind of end-of-schoolyear rites,” (There must be both face-to-face and online ceremonies because you cannot force those who do not wish to make personal attendance. Some parents remain a little apprehensive and you cannot force them to join the face-to-face rites.)
On top of the stringent observance of these regulations, the spokesperson also pointed out the importance of clear information dissemination to the school communities for the safe and successful execution of the events.
“Dali man lang musulti ‘sige, go ahead na mo,’ pero ang problema dinha kay unsaon pagpahiluha kana siya og unsa’y mga limitations og restrictions. I always say na we do not operate na kana bitaw mamasin lamang, ang ato jud dinha kay klaro kay atong gidipensahan diri kay ang mga bata og ang mga magtutudlo og ang school community lakip na ang mga ginikanan. Mao na nga kailangan sigurado.” (It is easy to give the go signal but the problem is with the execution and what the limitations and restrictions are. I always say that we do not operate based on approximations, we need to be sure as we are trying to protect the children and their teachers, as well as the school community which includes parents. That is why we have to be sure).
On the other hand, though Mayor Inday Sara reiterated Monday that she has no objections to the face-to-face closing ceremonies, Atillo said that only public elementary and secondary schools in areas with levels 1 and 2 alert levels are allowed to conduct hybrid face-to-face rites, prohibiting areas with alert status or those under alert level 3 and higher from doing the same.
The schoolyear 2021-2022 will officially end on June 24, 2022. CIO
