Security tightened for school opening

MANILA, Philippines - Law enforcement agencies will deploy additional personnel near schools as 27 million students start classes in elementary and high schools across the country tomorrow.

During the inter-agency command conference on Thursday, Chief Insp. Johnny Cappalos of the Public Safety Division of the Philippine National Police said the PNP will set up help desks to provide assistance to schools during the back-to-school period.

It would also distribute crime prevention leaflets to students, parents and school authorities, and intensify intelligence operations against drug pushers and other criminal elements victimizing students, Cappalos said.

The PNP issued the statement amid security concerns over a possible terrorist threat in the country, centered in Mindanao.

An incident that killed 38 people at Resorts World Manila early Friday also raised concerns in Metro Manila, though the police have assured the public it was not a terrorist attack.

The Office of Civil Defense also assured the public that it would be in close coordination with the Department of Education (DepEd) to ensure it was kept up to date with the latest information regarding natural and man-made crises, including the conflict in Mindanao.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones earlier stressed that classes would push through as scheduled, except for classes postponed due to the ongoing crisis in Marawi City.

“We believe that opening classes as scheduled will contribute in the normalization activities… education will not be compromised by this crisis. However, whatever, wherever they are, we will reach out to the children,” Briones said.

The opening of classes in Marawi City and eight barangays in Lanao del Sur was suspended for two weeks due to the ongoing conflict.

Briones said schools in Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro are expecting an influx of students evacuated from Marawi City.

Student projection

Based on projection data, the DepEd is expecting nearly 27 million students to return to private and public elementary and high schools tomorrow.

More than 22.8 million students will be returning to public schools, while the remaining 4.08 million will start classes in private schools.

According to the DepEd, approximately 2.06 million are expected to enroll in kindergarten, 14.4 million in elementary schools, more than 7.6 million in junior high school and 2.8 million in senior high school. 

The figures include an estimated 1.4 million students who will become the first batch of Grade 12 students under the K-12 basic education reform program that started in the previous administration. 

Classrooms, teachers

DepEd officials have maintained that the almost 53,000 public schools across the country are ready for the school opening, despite data showing the department has yet to reach its target of 107,920 new classrooms funded in the 2014, 2015 and 2016 budgets. 

As of May 30, the DepEd said it has registered a 51.59 percent completion rate or 55,680 classrooms available for the incoming school year. 

Meanwhile, 8,618 of 36,791 teaching positions created last year have yet to be filled, and the process of filling the 21,868 teaching positions created this year is ongoing, the DepEd said. Most of the new teachers are at senior high school level. 

DepEd undersecretary for operations Jesus Mateo said the schools have implemented different measures to address concerns  arising from congestion and a lack of teachers. 

Briones will conduct a school visit at the President Corazon C. Aquino High School and Ramon Magsaysay High School in Manila during school opening tomorrow.