DepEd to assist family of Antipolo pupil who died after teacher’s slap

Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte visits the wake of Francis Jay Gumikib, the Grade 5 student who died 11 days after his teacher allegedly slapped him, in Antipolo City on Friday, October 6, 2023. Photo courtesy of Rizal Police Provincial Office

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) will be providing assistance to the family of the Grade 5 student who died days after being allegedly slapped by his teacher in Antipolo City.

During a visit to the wake of 14-year-old Francis Jay Gumikib on October 6, Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte had a discussion with the student’s parents on ways to expedite the case of their son.

One of these is DepEd’s assistance for faster administrative processes related to the case, Duterte said in a Facebook post on Sunday.

READ: 5th grader dies 11 days allegedly after teacher’s slap in Antipolo City

“Ang Regional Office ay binigyan lamang ng hanggang Lunes, October 9, 2023, upang tapusin ang fact-finding investigation nito at mag issue ng formal charges na may pansamantalang pagsususpinde laban sa mga sangkot sa isyu. Kasama sa usapan ang posibleng kaso ng child abuse dahil sa pananampal,” she said.

(The Regional Office was only given until Monday, October 9, 2023, to complete its fact-finding investigation and issue formal charges with a temporary suspension against those involved in the issue. The conversation included a possible case of child abuse due to the slapping.)

She also said that DepEd will help the family in filing criminal charges before relevant authorities, provided there is sufficient evidence, as well as provide psychological first aid to the parents and siblings of the deceased student.

READ: ‘Teacher tagged in fatal slapping of Antipolo pupil on official leave’

“Para sa kanilang mga nakatatandang anak na hindi pa nag-aaral, hinikayat sila na bumalik sa paaralan sa pamamagitan ng late enrollment, o sa pamamagitan ng DepEd Alternative Learning System,” she added.

(For their older children who are not yet in school, they are encouraged to return to school through late enrollment, or through the DepEd Alternative Learning System.)

As for the younger siblings of Gumikib who have been emotionally affected by the incident and are finding it challenging to return to their school in person, Duterte said they will be under blended learning so that their education would not be uninterrupted.

READ: Cops still probing death of Grade 5 pupil in Antipolo

“Para sa kanilang mga nakababatang anak na na-trauma sa pangyayari at nahihirapang pumunta ng personal sa paaralan, pinag-usapan na isailalim sa blended learning upang magpatuloy at hindi maantala ang kanilang pag-aaral,” she wrote on social media.

(For their younger children who are traumatized by the incident and find it difficult to go to school in person, it was discussed that they be subjected to blended learning in order to continue and not delay their education.)

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