Grade 3 students return to the Owaog Nebloc Elementary School in Botolan, Zambales, during the pilot run of the in-person classes. (Photo by Joanna Rose Aglibot)
MANILA, Philippines — On the first day of the pilot run of in-person classes in the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday reminded that armed personnel, whether from the government or not, are prohibited from entering schools as part of its nationwide school policies.
According to DepEd, this is under the National Policy Framework on Learners and Schools as Zones of Peace or DepEd Order No. 32, s. 2019, which states that “schools, as a general rule, should be free from the presence of armed combatants, whether they be from government forces or armed groups.”
“Armed force protection units from government forces, if needed, shall be situated proximate to the school and not inside the school,” the order further stated.
“To prevent similar incidents in the future, we are reminding our field officials and school heads to strictly enforce [this policy],” said DepEd in a statement after photos of armed security officers inside a classroom in Pangasinan surfaced online.
Based on the field report, the police officers were part of the security detail of an LGU official who visited the school.
The department then reminded stakeholders and partners in the pilot run of face-to-face classes to always adhere to existing policies in schools.
“DepEd shall work together with our stakeholders to ensure that our guidelines on Schools as Zones of Peace, where our learners feel safe, secured, and nurtured, are observed,” it said.
In the pilot run of the face-to-face classes, only a maximum of 12 students are allowed for kindergarten; 16 students for grades 1 to 3; 20 for senior high school in a classroom; and, 12 for senior high school in technical-vocational-livelihood workshops or science laboratories.