DepEd: End-of-school-year activities must be held indoors

AS THE COUNTRY continues to face scorching weather due to El Niño, the Department of Education (DepEd) has requested public schools to hold indoors their End-of-School-Year (EOSY) activities scheduled later this month.

Under Memorandum 23-2024 released by DepEd last May 2, EOSY rites and activities scheduled on May 29 to 31, 2024, are advised to be conducted in indoor places or in well-ventilated locations.

“To ensure the safety and protection of learners, teachers, and attendees, schools are advised to hold their EOSY Rites in indoor venues with proper ventilation or covered courts to avoid exposure to the extreme heat of the sun,” the memorandum read.

For schools without indoor venues, DepEd encouraged them to avoid scheduling their EOSY rites during the time of the day when temperatures reach dangerous levels.

DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa said this allowed schools some flexibility over the schedule of their activities, because the memorandum purposely did not prescribe a time for EOSY rites.

“Kung talagang hindi natin maiwasan na walang indoor venues na magagamit or covered courts ay gawin lang sa mga oras na hindi matindi ang sikat ng araw at hindi matindi ‘yung init,” he said. 

Poa explained that they did not prescribe a time since schools face different situations across the country.

The memorandum also outlined that expenses related to EOSY rites should be shouldered by the public schools’ maintenance and other operating expenses. No DepEd personnel shall be allowed to collect any kind of contribution or fee for the graduation/moving-up ceremony.

“Dapat, unang-una, no collection tayo sa graduation. Siguraduhin na walang mga teachers, staff, school personnel, or sinuman na magkakaroon ng any collection… We want it to be very simple lang and meaningful,” Poa said.

Meanwhile, the country will continue to experience hot temperatures according to the updated computed and daily heat index values released by PAGASA as of May 5.

The forecast range for Metro Manila may reach 41°C – 42°C on May 6, and 40°C – 41°C on May 07, 2024. In addition, the highest heat index could be at 47°C in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, and Aparri, Cagayan.

The Department of Health (DoH) reported on Saturday, May 4, that the number of health-related illnesses from January 1 to April 29, 2024 increased to 77 cases, including those who may have died in relation to the hot weather, although seven of the “reported deaths” were “non-conclusive” of heat stroke due to inadequate data.

Based on the DOH Event-based Surveillance and Response System (ESRS), 87 percent or 67 of these cases were of ages 12 to 21 years old.

With reports from Marvin Cabalhin