On-site classes in Lamitan City, Basilan suspended until April 30

MANILA, Philippines —  Lamitan City, Basilan on Monday suspended face-to-face classes in public elementary to secondary schools until April 30 due to cases of reported cases of nosebleeds amid extreme heat.

“Upon the reported cases of learners brought to hospital due to nose bleeding caused by extreme heat … I  order the suspension of face-to-face classes in public elementary and secondary schools within the territorial jurisdiction of Lamitan City,” Lamitan Mayor Roderick Furigay said in an executive order.

Meanwhile, private schools are given the discretion on whether they would also suspend their classes.

The Department of Education (DepEd), for its part, has already instructed public schools nationwide to shift to an asynchronous mode of learning from April 29 to 30 amid a transport strike on top of the extreme heat.

The DepEd order, however, does not cover the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) as schools in the region are under its Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education.