Safety first: DepEd orders inspection of schools, facilities after 6.1 quake

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered the inspection of school buildings and facilities in areas affected by the 6.1-magnitude earthquake that stuck parts of Luzon on Monday.

In a memorandum on Monday, Education Secretary Leonor Briones and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea instructed all principals, school heads and teachers-in-charge “to undertake thorough investigation of all school buildings and facilities before allowing learners, teachers and personnel to enter the same.”

DepED Secretary Leonor Briones INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

Engineers, architects and disaster risk reduction management (DRRM) offices were also instructed to assure the safety of DepEd buildings, facilities, schools and offices.

“Only when the structural integrity and safety of buildings and facilities is assured can the learners, teachers and personnel be allowed to enter the same.”

Meanwhile, activities in National Capital Region (NCR) public schools have been suspended.

“For NCR, public schools, School year 2018-2019 already ended April 5 however, there are still some school activities ongoing. We have instructed NCR Regional Director to suspend these for today,”  Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said in a Viber message Tuesday. /gsg