Physical graduation a bigger challenge for public schools

CEBU, Philippines —  Physical end-of-school year rites, including moving up and graduation ceremonies, will be more feasible in private schools and more challenging in public schools based on guidelines set to conform to limitations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is because, compared to public schools, private schools have fewer students and they have venues to hold a ceremony.

Dr. Rhea Mar Angtud, Cebu City Division Superintendent of the Department of Education (DepEd), said there are public schools that have already asked permission to hold a physical graduation. Approval will come from the DepEd regional office.

“Naay mga private schools nga ni-request na for a face-to-face graduation but ang regional office man guy muhatag og approval ani,” Angtud said.

DepEd has allowed physical end-of-school year rites for schools in areas under Alert Level 1 and 2 but guidelines need to be followed and schools have to coordinate with the local government unit.

DepEd is yet to discuss how to go about the situations in public schools, which have a bigger population than private schools. More than 400 students are set to graduate from each public school.

“Sa public schools, wala pa mi mo-kuan anang dapita kay ang ato man gung mga eskwelahan atong gitan-aw, more than 400 pataas ang mu-graduate and so lisod siya i-handle kung ang IATF nga protocol ang sundon,” Angtud said.

Under DepEd’s guidelines based on IATF protocols, graduating students will be required to wear masks for the duration of the event but the more challenging requirement is the one- meter distance between individuals.

Students will be assigned seats and handshaking or any other form of physical contact is discouraged. Only the parents or one designated guardian shall be permitted to accompany a mover or candidate for graduation.

“Meaning, ang mga lingkuranan lagyo kaayo sa ngatanan kay distancing man kaha… Ato man gung gitan-aw, that’s a happy occasion man gud… so dili nato malikayan nga magduol, mo-congratulate, mag-gakos, samok ba… Dihang dapita… amo pang gitan-aw kung how feasible kung mukuan ug graduation,” Angtud said.

Public consultations are currently being done by school principals together with stakeholders and parents.

“Tan -awon nato ang consultation nga ilang gipanghimo,” Angtud said.

For public schools in Cebu City, the current school year will end around July 13 to 17 after adjustments were made in their school calendar due to the so-called “health break”.

In the meantime, some public school learners together with teachers and school heads could only be happy to be back to their schools physically after more than two years of doing virtual classes and other alternative modes of learning due to the pandemic.

“Kami tanan sa among end, nalipay gyud mi kay ang amoa gud is amo gyud ma-educate ang atoang mga kabatan-onan sa sakto kay kung wala’y face-to-face ato naman makit-an nga naay kakulangan sa ilahang end nga dili mahatag, mas nindot gyud nga mag face-to-face aron ang instruction sa atong mga bata maghatag og quality ba sa atong pag-instruct,” said Deodoro Beldeniza, school head of Bitlang Integrated School, one of the 13 pilot schools for the limited face-to-face classes in Cebu City.

So far, no problems were encountered in the first four days of the limited face-to-face classes, except that many parents want their children to be included in the in-person classes.

“Ang atong gibuhat karon diagnostic man ni siya, meaning, we will try to find out og unsay mo-surface nga problema aron inig face-to-face na gyud, ato na siyang masulbad. Pagkakaron, ang atong nakita more man og unsay mahitabo og full-blown siya, meaning, daghan na o tanan na nga estudyante ang mag face-to-face tungod kay duna paman tay mga classrooms nga naguba sa Odette… kana siya mao nay major problema nato come pag-abli na sa klase,” Angtud said.

Those prioritized in the in-person classes are students who are vaccinated against COVID-19 but an isolation area has been prepared at each school in the event a student manifests COVID symptoms.

Councilor Joel Garganera, chief of the city’s Emergency Operations Center, clarified, though, that this is no longer a requirement in schools since cases are very low and home isolation is now allowed.

It is also easy to coordinate with the barangay emergency teams that can help transport a patient to an isolation facility. – JMO (FREEMAN)