Marawi school opening postponed indefinitely
The Department of Education (DepEd) has postponed the re-opening of classes in conflict-ridden Marawi City indefinitely.
In a press briefing, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said that while DepEd is looking forward to the opening of schools as earlier announced, she noted that “definitely, the June 19 (Monday) school opening as earlier advised by the military may not take place.”
“Right now, we cannot say exactly when schools in Marawi will open,” Briones said.
She said that DepEd will have to consider the reports from the multiagency assessment team of the government to be able to tell when the city’s schools are ready for school opening.
In the meantime, DepEd continues to urge displaced Marawi
families to enroll their children in any school in the country so they can be integrated in normal classes as soon as possible.
Earlier, Briones – via DepEd Memo No. 98 s. of 2017 dated June 2 or the emergency measures in response to the Marawi situation – announced that “unless further extended to a later date based on the recommendation of the relevant security agencies, school opening in Marawi City and other affected districts will be on June 19.”
School opening in the entire Division of Marawi City as well as in the eight districts of Ditsaan Ramain I, Ditsaan Ramain II, Ditsaan Ramain III, Marantao I, Marantao II, Saguiaran I, Saguiaran II, and Saguiaran III in the Division of Lanao del Sur has been on the shelf since June 5.
Briones said affected schools “hold make-up classes on appropriate days and if possible, still end classes on the last day as provided in the school calendar.” She also noted that necessary “security considerations, such as early class dismissals, may also be adopted by affected divisions.” Getting ready Meanwhile, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Assistant Secretary for Academics Marjuni Maddi said DepEd-ARMM continues to exert efforts to guarantee the readiness of schools and teachers should the government declare that it’s safe to re-open classes in Marawi.
Maddi said DepEd-ARMM has been keeping track of its learners as well as its teachers and non-teaching personnel to ensure that they are all accounted for.
In the entire province of Lanao del Sur, he said 2,933 teachers and nonteaching personnel are affected. Of this number, 1,411 are from Marawi City.
More than 200 teachers and other school personnel are unaccounted for.
To prepare for the eventual opening of classes in Marawi and other areas, Maddi said that affected teachers who might be traumatized by the armed conflict will undergo psychosocial debriefing. He also assured the continuance of salaries and other benefits of affected teachers and personnel.
It was recalled that the ISIS-inspired Maute Group marched into Marawi last May 23. They’ve remained holed up in the city since. ‘Brigada’ Marawi DepEd said it plans to re-open its “Brigada Eskwela” in Marawi to help rebuild the lives of local learners, teachers and non-teaching personnel.
“As soon as things settle down in Marawi – we cannot say when that would happen because it will depend on the assessment by the military – we will hold Brigada Eskwela in Marawi,” Briones said. “I’m very positive that many members of the Philippine community will want to participate especially in rebuilding damaged schools and many others,” she added.
In this regard, DepEd is calling on the surrounding communities, public and private partner agencies and offices, and other education stakeholders to never waver in extending support, whether by becoming volunteers or donating in-kind.
“The Department will immediately conduct damage assessment after the area has been cleared and will rehabilitate destroyed schools, replace lost learning materials, and with the assistance of our partners, provide school supplies to our learners,” Briones vowed.