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DepEd sets new class suspension policy for in-person and online classes in times of calamities

By  Rainier Allan Ronda, OneNews.ph
Published Sep 26, 2022 7:40 am
Jesse Bustos, The Philippine STAR

The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued updated class suspension guidelines for in-person and online classes during times of calamities and emergencies.

Department spokesman Michael Poa said DepEd Order (DO) 37, or the “Guidelines on the Cancellation or Suspension of Classes and Work in Schools in the Event of Natural Disasters, Power Outage/Power Interruption and other Calamities,” has been uploaded on the DepEd website and filed with the Office of the National Administrative Register on Sept. 20.

In the new guidelines, the DepEd decreed that in-person and online classes and work from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and in Alternative Learning System (ALS) are automatically canceled in schools situated in local government units (LGUs) issued with tropical cyclone wind signals (TCWS) 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

If the TCWS is issued at a time when classes have already begun, the DepEd said the school shall immediately suspend the classes and work and send everyone home “if it is safe to do so.”

Schools are obligated, however, to keep students and personnel safely in school if traveling has become unsafe, according to the guidelines.

“Local chief executives shall decide on the cancelation or suspension of classes in cases where there are strong winds in specific or all areas of the LGU, but is not issued a TCWS,” the guidelines stated.

In times of heavy rainfall, the DepEd said in-person and online classes and work from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and in ALS are automatically canceled in schools situated in LGUs issued with Orange and Red Rainfall Warning by PAGASA.

“If the warning is issued at a time when classes have already begun, the school shall immediately suspend the classes and work and send everyone home, if it is safe to do so. However, schools are obligated to keep the students and personnel safely in school if traveling has become unsafe,” the guidelines said.

“Local chief executives shall decide on the cancelation or suspension of classes if their LGU is issued a Yellow Rainfall Warning by PAGASA or in cases where there are torrential rains in specific or all areas of the LGU, but is not issued an alert by PAGASA,” they added.

In cases of floods, the guidelines decreed that in-person and online classes and work from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and in ALS are automatically canceled in schools in specific areas issued with a flood warning by PAGASA.

“If the flood warning is issued at a time when classes have already begun, the school shall immediately suspend the classes and work and send everyone home, if it is safe to do so. However, schools are obligated to keep the students and personnel safely in school if travelling has become unsafe,” the guidelines stated.

“Local chief executives are also given the decision to cancel or suspend classes in cases where there is flooding in specific or all areas of the LGU, but is not issued a flood warning by PAGASA,” they added.

For earthquakes, the DepEd said in-person and online classes and work from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and in ALS are automatically canceled in schools situated in LGUs where the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology declares an earthquake with PHILVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS) V or above.

Local chief executives are also given the decision whether to cancel or suspend classes in cases where the PEIS is IV and below, according to the guidelines.

“School principals can cancel classes on any intensity scale if in their assessment, building and other structures are seen to be in danger of collapsing or is found to have major damage,” the DepEd said.

“The school disaster risk reduction and management team head should clear the return of students and personnel in buildings and other structures,” it added.

There will be no automatic cancelation or suspension of classes in the event that power outages/power interruptions/brownouts occur in schools, according to the agency.

“If power outages/power interruptions/brownouts have resulted in poor learning environment, school officials can cancel or suspend classes at their own discretion,” it said.

“In the event of canceled or suspended classes, modular distance learning, performance tasks, projects or make-up classes shall be implemented to ensure that learning competencies and objectives are still met,” it added.

This article was originally published on OneNews.ph.

TAGS: deped Typhoon school Classes suspended WalangPasok