• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
With the opening of classes set to start on June 16, thousands of learners in La Castellana, Negros Occidental might not have enough classrooms since schools are still being used as evacuation centers for residents displaced by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon.
Based on the existing policy of the Department of Education (DepEd), schools can be used as evacuation centers for only 15 days.
“Beyond 15 days, local government units must have to provide plans where to relocate the evacuees,” Ian Arnold Arnaez, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Schools Division Office, said on Wednesday (June 4).
He said, however, the DepEd cannot implement such law since there are no existing relocation sites.
“Humanitarian consideration is still being looked into,” Arnaez said.
DepEd records showed 8,923 learners were enrolled last year in La Castellana Elementary School, Don Felix Robles Elementary School and La Castellana National High School, which are now being used as evacuation centers.
Arnaez acknowledged that there are not enough classrooms to accommodate students from schools within the six-kilometer extended danger zone while schools used as evacuation centers are left with fewer classrooms for learning.
This prompted the scheduling in the use of available classrooms, with face-to-face classes held once a week, and distance and module learning on other days.
Still, Arnaez said the set-up is not enough to ensure the learning process of students, but the schools have to make do with it pending the implementation of an alternative relocation plan.
Kanlaon Volcano marked one year of increased activity on Tuesday, which started with an explosive eruption on June 3 last year. It was followed by three other minor explosive eruptions, of which the latest was on May 13. Donato Sermeno, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region, said they are looking into the construction of nipa and bamboo structures to serve as alternative learning spaces for students in addition to the family tents requested by the La Castellana municipal government.
Sermeno noted that the continued stay of internally displaced persons in the evacuation centers has huge impact on the learners as well. | GB
