The Department of Education (DepEd) will strengthen its coordination with the police and will also seek help from mental health experts following the reported incidents of violence in schools.
DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa, in a Viber message to reporters, said that local offices of the agency were instructed to coordinate with the police in their respective areas for “spot inspections” after a student in Bulacan accidentally shot himself using his father’s gun on Thursday, Jan. 26.
Poa said that Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has instructed the Field Operations to “issue a directive” for all Regional Offices (ROs) and Schools Division Offices (SDOs) to coordinate with Philippine National Police (PNP).
ROs and SDOs, he explained, should coordinate with their PNP counterparts in the region, cities, and municipalities to identify schools that “require spot inspections of weapons among personnel and learners.”
ROs and SDOs, Poa said, will also need to submit a “report on the actions taken.”
As reported, a 12-year-old boy in Bulacan accidentally shot himself using his father’s gun inside the school premises.
‘Mental health’ issues
Following this incident, Poa said that DepEd commits to seeking out mental health experts and advocates to be able to “formulate and implement effective programs to address such issues” at the school level.
Just last week, a student fatally stabbed another student at Culiat High School in Quezon City.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/20/saddened-and-disturbed-deped-condemns-stabbing-incident-in-culiat-hs/
On DepEd’s part, Poa said that the agency acknowledges the recent incidents involving violence in schools.
“We can see from the circumstances surrounding such incidents that they are related to mental health issues,” he added.
Aside from these incidents, several schools in Quezon City also canceled classes this week after receiving bomb threats.
Poa said such incidents “will also be coordinated” with the PNP.