Physical graduation rites were still not allowed in the Philippines, according to DepEd.
The Department of Education (DepEd) recently reminded private and public elementary and high schools in the Philippines that physical graduation rites were still not allowed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones said in a memorandum released on Monday that face-to-face ceremonies were prohibited, adding that end-of-school-year rites should be done virtually instead of physical ceremonies.
“The virtual conduct of the end-of-school-year rites may be an option for schools and community learning centers, whenever feasible. Schools and CLCs may prepare a short program that will run in less than two hours to consider the internet connectivity that will be consumed. Only the completers, their parents/guardians, teachers and school administrators will be present during the virtual rites,” the memo read.
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According to DepEd, schools could broadcast live their virtual end-of-school-year rites via social media platforms, if given consent by students and parents.
DepEd also said that the graduation and moving-up ceremonies for public schools shall be conducted in the week of July 12 to 16, 2021. Private schools, according to DepEd, may implement the schedule as reflected in their respective school calendars.
Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian hoped that the Philippines was in a better situation by the start of the new school year in August and September this year.
According to Gatchalian, he favored allocating some Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine doses for students and stressed that the Philippines needed to hurdle vaccine hesitancy.
“At the recent SWS survey, only 32 percent want to get vaccinated. The rest are still hesitant or unsure so in other words, we need to overcome that by building trust. And like you said, the most immediate low-hanging fruit is for our trusted leaders and personalities to go out and promote vaccination,” Gatchalian said.
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