Counseling sessions ordered following Negros school shooting

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BACOLOD CITY, Philippines—An official of the Department of Education official has ordered more counseling sessions for teachers and pupils of an elementary school in the town of Pontevedra in Negros Occidental following the recent shooting to death of two teachers at the campus.

Assistant Education Secretary Reynaldo Antonio Laguda, chief of staff of Education Secretary Armin Luistro, issued the order after he met with the teachers and pupils of the Trinidad Elementary School in an effort to help restore normalcy to their lives, according to Dr. Juliet Jeruta, the provincial superintendent of schools.

On Jan. 20, the school’s head, Jojit Gaudiel, 40, was shot and killed by Grade 5 teacher Harold Salas, 37, who then shot himself inside the school compound.

Laguda learned from the parents of the pupils who witnessed the shooting that their children had been having nightmares and bedwetting episodes, Jeruta said.

Initial counseling sessions were held for the teachers and pupils last week, she added.

Laguda had been directed by Luistro to investigate what happened and see how the families of the dead, and the teachers and pupils of the school could be assisted.

He visited the Trinidad Elementary School community and met with the teachers and the parents of the pupils who witnessed the incident.

He also asked the families of both Gaudiel and Salas on Saturday to see how the department could  help them.

Jeruta said they have tapped University of St. La Salle guidance counselors for the counseling sessions.

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