The Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Negros Occidental successfully commenced classes in all 576 schools on Monday, accommodating an estimated 325,000 learners without major concerns.
DepEd-Negros Occidental oversees schools in the province’s 19 municipalities and the component city of Talisay. Schools Division Superintendent Anthony Liobet stated that thorough preparations were made for the opening of classes, despite challenges posed by the eruption and ongoing unrest of Mt. Kanlaon. “We hope that this year will be productive for all, especially our learners. The learning of our children is the most important goal we must strive for – against all odds,” he added.
For students in areas affected by Mt. Kanlaon in La Castellana town, DepEd activated temporary learning spaces and alternative delivery modes, providing learning kits and psychosocial support. “The successful opening of classes reflects the shared commitment of all stakeholders to ensure that education continues even in times of crisis,” Liobet remarked.
Over the weekend, internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the two affected local government units vacated the public schools they had occupied since the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon last December, ahead of the school opening. This included 1,989 IDPs, with 1,574 individuals from La Carlota City and 677 from La Castellana, specifically from Barangays Mansalanao and Sag-ang. Additionally, IDPs from two more villages in La Castellana, including 244 from Biak Na Bato and 171 from Barangay Masulog, also left the school-based evacuation centers.
Those who departed the school facilities either returned home or relocated to sites outside the 6-km permanent danger zone. In a memorandum dated June 8, Assistant Secretary Cesar Idio, deputy administrator for operations of the Office of Civil Defense, directed the Regional Task Force Kanlaon and relevant agencies to immediately vacate school-based evacuation centers, including four schools in La Castellana and two in La Carlota City, and prepare the classrooms for academic use. He also instructed them to facilitate the safe relocation of evacuees sheltered in the school facilities.