QUEZON CITY (PIA) — The Department of Education (DepEd) is leading rapid-response efforts to ensure that students reeling from the impact of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) could return to their classes as soon as possible.
Thus, the DepEd has launched a comprehensive recovery plan to ensure students can resume learning without further delay.
“Every day out of school is a lost opportunity to learn; that is why we are prioritizing rehabilitation efforts to restore normalcy in the education system as quickly as possible,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara said in a statement on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
Angara praised the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) staff and DepEd personnel nationwide for assisting schools and communities affected by the storm.
“Even as classes and government offices were suspended for three days, many of our staff continued working from home to coordinate assistance. Saludo kami sa inyong dedikasyon,” Angara said.
An October 28 (Monday) DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) System report indicated that 38,376 schools continue to suspend classes, of which DepEd DRRM System888 were flooded or affected by landslides and 1,127 were used as evacuation centers.
DepEd has estimated infrastructure damage at P3.7 billion, with P2.9 billion needed for reconstruction and P737.5 million for major repairs.
Moreover, Angara is looking at more rehabilitation and recovery response through the replacement of damaged learning resources such as textbooks, learning tools, equipment, and computer packages; additional Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) for regional offices (ROs), Schools Division Offices (SDOs), and schools; reproduction of additional printed Self-Learning Modules (SLMs); and setting up of temporary learning spaces, among others.
With these efforts, Angara’s main concern is to bring learners back to the classrooms soonest.
“Our goal is clear: to bring students back to school and back to learning as soon as possible,” Angara said.
For the DepEd’s employees, Angara is also making sure that the special emergency leave (SEL) from the Civil Service Commission (CSC) is available for them.
The SEL provides up to five paid days of leave for government personnel directly affected by the disaster, which can be taken consecutively or intermittently.
“This leave allows our employees to focus on recovery—whether it’s rebuilding their homes or supporting their families—so they can return to work ready to serve,” Angara said. (PIA DMD)
