Class suspension up to local execs — DepEd

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) will leave it to local officials and heads of private schools to suspend classes in their respective jurisdictions due to the ongoing 30th Southeast Asian Games (SEAG).

Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said suspension of classes in public elementary and high schools will be limited only to those recommended by the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee.

Among those recommended are the Tagaytay City Science National High School, Santa Rosa Science and Technology High School and the San Antonio Elementary School, all in Region 4A.

The DepEd also identified six other public elementary schools in Metro Manila – Aurora A. Quezon in Manila; Gotamco, Andres Bonifacio  and Rafael Palma in Pasay City and the Oranbo and Bagong Ilog in Pasig – that would be used as billeting quarters for the almost 300 drivers during the SEAG.

Classes for these public schools will be suspended from Dec. 2 to 6.

The DepEd said the decision to suspend classes in private schools would be left to its respective managements.

Sevilla also said that local government units could opt to suspend classes on days coinciding with the SEAG events in their respective jurisdictions.

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora earlier declared class suspensions on Dec. 1 to 2 and from Dec. 5 to 10 as the city will host the 3x3 basketball and e-games events at the FilOil Flying V Center on those dates.

Pampanga Gov. Dennis Pineda also suspended classes in all levels from Dec. 4 to 10 to give way to the games.

Other private schools have also announced suspension of classes.

President Duterte earlier nixed the idea of suspending classes for the duration of the biennial sporting competition.