• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
With the classes slated to open this month, thousands of students in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, are being expected to be affected by the lack of classrooms which are presently being used as evacuation centers.
If we will be strict on existing policy of the Department of Education, schools can only be used for 15 days as evacuation centers, said Ian Arnold Arnaez, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental DepEd Division Office.
Beyond 15 days, local government units must provide plans where to relocate the evacuees, Arnaez said.
He, however, added that the DepEd cannot implement such laws, since there are no existing relocation sites. Humanitarian considerations are still being looked into, he further said.
Records of the Department of Education showed that there were a total of 8,923 learners enrolled last year in La Castellana Elementary School, Don Felix Robles Elementary School, and La Castellana National High School, which are all presently used as evacuation centers.
Arnaez admitted that there are not enough classrooms to accommodate students from schools within the 6-kilometer extended danger zone, while at the same time, schools used as evacuation centers are left with fewer classrooms for learning.
This prompted the scheduling of the use of available classrooms, where face to face classes will be held once a week, and distance and module learning on other days, which is not enough to ensure the learning process of students, he also said.
Pending the implementation of an alternative relocation plan by the local government of La Castellana, Arnaez said they will have to make do with the current set up.
Kanlaon Volcano marked one year of unrest on Tuesday, which began with an explosive eruption on June 3 last year. It was also followed by three other minor explosive eruptions, the latest of which was on May 13.
To help address the lack of classrooms for learners, Donato Sermeno, regional director of the Office of Civil Defense Negros Island Region, said they are looking into the construction of nipa and bamboo structures to serve as alternative learning spaces for students, in addition to the family tents requested by the La Castellana municipal government.
Sermeno admitted that the continued stay of IDPs at the evacuation centers has had a huge impact on learners, aside from the sources of livelihoods of affected families.
At present, the Office of Civil Defense is allowing IDPs to enter the 6 kilometer permanent danger zone, for farming and other essential activities.*
