DepEd updates guidelines on class suspension

THE Department of Education (Deped) has issued new guidelines for the suspension of classes and work in schools during natural disasters and calamities.

The agency issued Order 37 series of 2022 on Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022, and this should be observed by all public schools and DepEd personnel in all its central, regional and division offices.

Under the guidelines, in-person and online classes in all levels, as well as work in schools, are automatically suspended when:

• The area was placed by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.

• The area was issued with a yellow, orange, or red rainfall warning.

• The area was issued with a flood warning.

• The area was hit by an earthquake of above magnitude five as declared by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

DepEd said when classes are already ongoing at the time the warning is issued, students must immediately be sent home unless the school administration deems it unsafe.

The agency, however, gave school administrations and local government units power to suspend classes and work despite not meeting these conditions should they find the situation unsafe for their learners and teachers, as well as non-teaching staff, “except those who are mandated to render security, safety, finance, engineering, sanitation, health, and disaster response duties.” “In times of disasters and calamities, safeguarding the learners and personnel from unnecessary physical dangers that they may be exposed to and protecting their constitutional rights to life, health, safety and property remain to be the department’s paramount consideration,” the guidelines read.

The agency said private schools and community learning centers, as well as state or local universities and colleges have the option to abide by the provisions of the department order.

Schools will have to implement make-up classes “to ensure that learning competencies and objectives are still met.” The guidelines also directed DepEd offices and schools to activate their respective disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) teams to work in the aftermath of the disaster for response, early recovery and reporting duties.

It said schools are no longer allowed to be used as quarantine, isolation, or vaccination sites, in contrast to the earlier order of the agency.

“In cases of other disasters, schools may be used as an immediate evacuation site which should not last for more than 15 days. LGUs should not use schools as long-term shelters for evacuees,” the department said.

DepEd reminded teachers to consider students who miss learning activities due to natural disasters and calamities.