Briones rejects calls to return to DepEd power to suspend classes

Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Wednesday rejected calls to return to the Department of Education (DepEd) the authority to declare class suspensions during bad weather.

Briones said it would be more convenient for local government units (LGUs) to suspend classes because they are more knowledgeable of the circumstances in their municipalities.

“The reason behind the policy asking the local governments is, in terms of timeliness, they would be much faster. They’re right where the storm is, where the flood is, where the earthquake is before the DepEd officials ever have the opportunity to go,” Briones said in a Palace briefing.

The Education department previously had the responsibility to declare class suspensions during inclement weather.

However, Executive Order No. 66 was issued in 2012 stating the agencies that could suspend classes in private and public schools and work in government offices.

“Localized suspension of classes in both public and private work may be implemented by local chief executives in their capacity as chairpersons of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (LDRRMC),” the executive order said.

The executive order also stated that the concerned local DepEd and private school officials should form effective lines of communication with their respected LGUs.

Saves time

Briones added that one of the reasons why they found it more suitable for the LGUs is that it is more time-efficient.

“What we want to do, what the lawmakers wanted to do was to save time…The principal will have to text and all that, inform everybody and make the announcement, by that time the rain has already ended, or by that time the earthquake has already cracked open a municipality,” she said.

“We have varying weather conditions and this is why local government units are so much more on the ground, they know what really is happening,” she added.

Quezon City Administrator Aldrin Cuña had earlier said that the power to suspend classes should be returned to the DepEd after some local chief executives were blamed for failure to suspend classes on time during inclement weather. — Syrah Vivien Inocencio, INQUIRER.net Intern