CEBU CITY, Sept. 17 (PNA) — A senior education official in Cebu has urged public school officials to identify the hazards their students would encounter on their way home.
Dr. Arden Monisit, Cebu Schools Division superintendent, issued this statement following the drowning of three high school students who were swept away by a flash flood in a mountain barangay river in the southern Cebu town of Argao.
Monisit said the teachers and the school officials are more familiar with the hazards in there areas, including the difficulty in crossing swollen rivers.
Monisit said the data from the query would be collated and can be used by the education department in making representations to the concerned government agencies.
He also reminded the schools of their duty to ensure the safety of their students.
Monisit said the situational report on the drowning incident has been submitted to the Department of Education (DepEd)7, which has the disciplining authority.
Monisit said the regional office will the one to evaluate if there were indeed lapses on the part of the school when the drowning incident happened.
On September 8, three students of Calagasan National High School in Argao town were found dead after being swept away by a flash flood while crossing a river on their way home.
The victims were identified as Ritchelle Pasaje, 15, and Caroline Marson, 15, both from Barangay Canbantog, and Earl Kyle Sarbido, 13, of Barangay Linut-od.
Monisit said the school head’s decision to suspend classes at 4 p.m. after a heavy downpour was right, but the students should not have been allowed to go with no adult supervising them on their way home.
Class advisers were required under a memorandum Monisit issued before the opening of classes in June to have a database of contact information of parents or guardians of their students so that the students will not be allowed to go home without an adult guardian accompanying them. (PNA)