The administration of Culiat High School in Quezon City started conducting psychological debriefing for its learners on Monday, Jan. 23, after a 13-year-old boy was stabbed to death by his fellow Grade 7 student inside the school last Jan. 20.
According to the school administration, a general debriefing was held after the flag-raising ceremony among Grade 7, 8, and Senior High School students on Monday.
"Nag-start kami pagkatapos ng flag-raising ceremony. Nagkaroon kami ng general stress debriefing sa lahat ng Grade 7, Grade 8 at Senior High School. Sila 'yong mga a.m. session na nakabalita sa nangyari (We started the debriefing after the flag-raising ceremony. We had a general stress debriefing among all Grade 7, Grade 8, and senior high school students. They are the a.m. session who were aware of the incident)," it said in an interview with Manila Bulletin.
Police said the victim was stabbed in his left chest by the 15-year-old boy outside a classroom in the school at around 5:40 a.m. on Friday, before his class started.
The victim was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead at around 6:20 a.m.
The school administration said that they will also conduct a psychological, mental, and emotional support session in every section per level once a week, which will be led by the school principal, teachers, and guidance counselors.
"We are also asking the help of Quezon City local government to provide us with a professional psychiatrist and psychologist to provide another debriefing for them," it stated.
The school also sought help from the School, Parent and Teacher Association (SPTA) and Culiat Barangay Security Point Office (BSPO) officers to assist the school's security guards in checking the items brought by the students before entering the school premises.
"We have 3,000 students na kung ito ay iisa-isahin, it will need time, it will consume time. Kaya ang nangyayari, mayroon din tayong scanner (if checking will be done individually, it will need time, it will consume time. So now, we also have a scanner)," it said.
Meanwhile, the boy was brought to the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) in Camp Karingal for the inquest proceedings, according to the school administration.
The school administration said that based on initial police investigation, the suspect stabbed the victim allegedly due to jealousy.
The suspect will undergo an alternative delivery mode (ADM) or a learning modality that will let him acquire education even outside the school through learning modules.
"We will not condone 'yong nangyari sa bata. Ang bata ay biktima rin ng circumstances. Ang plano ng paaralan, particularly ng DepEd QC ay ipagpapatuloy ng bata ang pag-aaral hanggang siya ay makatapos ng Senior High School (We will not condone what happened to the child. The child is also a victim of circumstances. The plan of the school, particularly of DepEd QC is that the child will continue his education until he completes Senior High School)," it said.
The administration added that the school and QC LGU personally visited the victim's family to provide financial assistance.