• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Nine local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have cancelled classes in both public and private schools for two days after the state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa) forecast of high heat index on March 11 and 12.
“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,” Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said.
Aside from Bacolod, other LGUs which ordered suspension of classes from elementary to high school are the cities of Bago, Kabankalan, Silay, Talisay, Himamaylan as well as the municipalities of E.B. Magalona, Murcia, and Hinobaan.
Some tertiary schools in Bacolod City have also suspended classes while others resorted to online meeting platforms and home study.
Pagasa forecast showed a heat index of 41 degrees Celsius on March 11, and 40 degrees Celsius on March 12 in Negros Occidental.
Ian Arnold Arnaez, spokesperson of Department of Education-Division of Negros Occidental, said on Monday (March 11) that public schools can resort to modular learning, if online classes is also not possible.
“The suspension of classes is part of the responsibility of a school head to ensure that learning is conducive. If not, they should find other ways for the learners to learn,” he added.
Arnaez reiterated that school heads have the discretion and prerogative to decide on the appropriate learning modality as they are the ones who 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 which is hotter,” he said. | GB
