ILOILO CITY—The Western Visayas regional office of the Department of Education (DepEd-6) clarified that a public school in northern Iloilo province only followed existing policy by barring entry to the school premises for unvaccinated teachers and staff.
“It is not new. DepEd has been implementing this since December 7, 2021,” said DepEd-6 Information Officer Hernani Escular Jr.
This was after 16 teachers and staff were not permitted to enter Ajuy National High School in Ajuy town, Iloilo province last January 3. Some of the teachers decried the policy as unconstitutional.
Escular told Manila Bulletin that the principal of Ajuy National High School was only implementing DepEd Memorandum No. 2021-575, which has been jointly approved by the national government’s task force on COVID-19.
“Vaccination among DepEd teachers and staff are not mandatory. However, they have to abide by certain procedures if they want to enter school premises,” Escular said.
The unvaccinated teachers and staff cannot physically go to the school and can only work from home.
“If the unvaccinated teacher or staff wants to physically go to the school to work, they must present laboratory results that they are not infected with COVID-19. They also have to pay for the COVID-19 tests on their own as DepEd will not pay for it,” Escular noted.
Escular said that DepEd Memorandum No. 2021-575 is designed as preparatory for the return of full face-to-face classes and for the welfare of the majority.