THE Department of Education (DepEd) in Region 5 instituted various mechanisms and interventions to ensure that children continue to learn despite the restiveness of Mayon Volcano.
Pursuant to the directive of Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones, education must continue despite adversities. Emergency classes were held after local government heads lifted the suspension of classes in the affected areas of Albay as early as January 23.
Part of the region’s contingency plan is the implementation of three-class shifts a day to cater to both residents and displaced learners using temporary learning spaces (TLS) and other available spaces, such as covered halls and tents, donated by stakeholders.
To date, 53 schools with 905 classrooms are being used as temporary evacuation centers to house 17,522 families and 58,444 individuals. DepEd Region 5 has identified 20,086 learners in evacuation centers. With only 325 classrooms available to conduct classes, DepEd and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) immediately released funds for the construction of 196 TLS and is considering the construction of
additional units.
DepEd Region 5 Director Ramon Fiel Abcede launched Oplan Sagip Eskwela on January 26 to implement an eight-fold disaster response that includes providing TLS and hygiene kits, administering Psychological First Aid (PFA) to both learners and teachers, and crafting coordination mechanisms for learning interventions.
“Teachers and personnel volunteered for camp management, working beyond official hours to implement contingency plans just to make sure that education will continue for our learners from the affected communities,” he said. “We have also tapped the Schools Division Offices from other provinces to conduct resource mobilization in order to augment the needs of our schools.”