7 Negros LGUs suspend classes for 2 days

Citing the rising heat index forecasted in Negros Occidental for the next two days, some local government units (LGUs) cancelled face-to-face classes in both public and private schools on Monday.

At least seven LGUs in the province suspended classes on March 11 and 12 in response to the forecast by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) of a high heat index due to the El Niño phenomenon.

Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez was first to call off faceto-face classes in the elementary and high school levels in the capital city on Friday, March 8. The local governments of Murcia, Kabankalan City, Silay City, Talisay City, EB Magalona and Hinoba-an followed suit.

“Elementary and secondary levels are encouraged to adopt alternative delivery modes as methods of instruction for their students, while the decision for the tertiary level is at the discretion of their respective colleges or university administrators,” the mayor said.

Some tertiary schools in Bacolod have also suspended classes while others resorted to online modality.

Ian Arnold Arnaiz, spokesman of the Department of Education-Division of Negros Occidental, said on Monday that in public schools, students can resort to modular learning if online classes is not possible.

Arnaiz said the suspension of classes in public schools were based on the executive orders of their respective mayors, particularly in EB Magalona, Murcia and Talisay City which is still under the jurisdiction of the division.

“The suspension of classes is part of the responsibility of a school head to ensure that learning is conducive. If not they should find ways for the learners to learn,” he said.

Arnaiz reiterated that school heads have the discretion and prerogative as they are the ones who actually know the condition of the areas where the schools are located.

“There are schools located in wooded areas that are cooler despite the prevalent hot temperature so there is no reason for them to suspend classes. Other schools are located along the coastline that are hotter,” he said.

The forecasted heat index in Negros Occidental is 41 degrees on Monday and 40 degrees on Tuesday.