GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 12 March) – The Department of Education (DepEd) in Sarangani province has suspended classes starting next week in all public schools due to the coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) threat.
Gildo Mosqueda, DepEd-Sarangani division superintendent, said Thursday the move was a precautionary measure against the possible spread of the highly contagious disease, which was already declared by the World Health Organization as a pandemic.
“This is to protect our learners from possible infection,” he said in a statement.
The official said all regular classes from pre-school to the senior high school levels will be suspended starting March, 16, Monday.
He said those who have scheduled examinations within the week will be allowed to return but only during their allotted time or period.
Mosqueda said the final or fourth grading examinations for Grades 6, 10 and 11 were ongoing and will be completed on Friday.
In compliance with a directive from their central office, he said they temporarily rescheduled all graduation and moving up ceremonies from March 30-April 3 to April 13-17.
But he said such schedule is still subject to possible changes, depending on advisories from DepEd-Region 12 and the Department of Health.
Mosqueda and other officials of DepEd-Sarangani joined a planning-workshop on Wednesday called by Gov. Steve Chiongbian Solon to address various concerns on Covid-19.
It was also attended by the officials and representatives from the seven municipal governments, provincial government offices, national government agencies and law enforcement units.
Dr. Arvin Alejandro, Sarangani health officer, said they discussed strategies, detailed action plans, prevention measures and protocols regarding the handling of possible Covid-19 cases.
He said they agreed to conduct a province-wide simultaneous cleanup activity at 8:30 a.m. on March 16.
All public and private offices, business establishments, industrial companies, hotels, restaurants and households will sanitize or disinfect their surroundings as a measure against the spread of the virus, he said.
“This is aimed to promote the observance of proper sanitation practices and encourage our residents to make them a regular habit,” he said. (MindaNews)
