A group of education workers on Tuesday, May 7, urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to provide “supplementary funds” to cover the needs for the safe conduct of graduation and moving-up ceremonies this school year.
“Now that we are faced with exacerbated conditions in schools due to extreme heat as end of school year approaches, DepEd must ensure that all the needs in wrapping up the school year are adequately met,” Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said.
ACT pushed for additional funding after the DepEd issued the guidelines for the conduct of the K to 12 Basic Education Program End-of-School-Year Rites (EOSY) for School Year (SY) 2023–2024.
In the said DepEd memorandum, the agency urged schools to conduct EOSY rites, set to be held from May 29 to 31, in indoor venues or well-ventilated areas to avoid extreme exposure to extreme heat.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/4/dep-ed-to-schools-hold-end-of-school-year-rites-indoors
ACT said DepEd should augment the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) of schools to ensure the safe conduct of EOSY rites amid the intense heat experienced in many regions nationwide.
“With sufficient funding, we can ensure suitable venues for students, parents, and teachers in holding graduation and moving-up ceremonies,” Quetua said.
ACT noted that the school MOOE only “suffices” for regular operational expenses like utilities, supplies, small repairs, equipment, salaries of job order workers, and budget for activities.
“But emerging needs as response to climate-related and other emergencies were not factored in,” Quetua said.
Before the reopening of classes after school closures during the pandemic, ACT has long demanded the government to allocate a supplemental budget for the doubling of school MOOE.
This, the group said, is to cover needed improvements in classroom ventilation and school facilities and to prevent teachers and school heads from “dipping into their own pockets to get things moving.”
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