DepEd relaxes transferees’ rules for students who fled Marawi

The Department of Education (DepEd) has announced that it has directed schools to take in students who had fled Marawi City amid ongoing clashes there, even without the required documents.

DepEd Asec. Tonisito Umali on Monday said the directive, issued by Sec. Leonor Briones, aims to give a “sense of normalcy” to the children amid the conflict, and to keep them in school even while those in the city remain closed.

“Sabi po ni Secretary Liling, ‘yung usual requirements for transferees, winaive po natin ito at ang kailangan lang ay ‘yung learner’s reference number. Kung wala po ‘yan, tatanggapin pa rin natin. May ilang issuance po si Sec. Liling to ensure na maayos ‘yung pagpasok ng mga bata. Pati po how our teachers will conduct themselves. Kailangang alagaan ‘yung mga bata kasi baka may ma-bully,” he told Unang Balita.

“Sinimplify na natin, kaya po maski wala ‘yung kanilang report card—usually hinahanap ‘yan—at ‘yung Philippine Statistics Authority-issued na birth certificate, lahat po ‘yan, wala na,” he added.

Umali noted that some transferees from Marawi have been taken in by schools in the cities of Makati and Taguig.

“Ang ginagawa po natin, ‘pag natukoy natin na nasa Maynila sila o saan man, nakikipag-ugnayan ang ating mga opisyal, sinisiguro na natututukan ang mga batang ito,” he said.

“Ang kailangan ay sense of normalcy para sa bata, psychosocial intervention. ‘Yun po ‘yung mga unang bagay na tinututukan natin, na maramdaman ng bata na siya ay kabilang sa bagong paaralan na kaniyang pinapasukan,” he added.

The DepEd has yet to determine the extent of damage from the ongoing skirmishes between government troops and the Maute local terror group, which started its attacks on the city nearly a month ago.

Still, the agency is preparing its “Brigada Eskwela” for Marawi, waiting for go-signal when the city has been cleared of danger.

“Ngayon pa lang po ay naghahanda na tayo para ‘pag sinabi ng ating military na maaari nang pumasok at cleared na ‘yung ating paaralan… kasi sa ngayon ‘di pa natin alam ‘yung extent ng damage,” Umali said. “We have 69 public schools sa loob ng Marawi. Mga guro, mga 1,400,  ‘yung 700 natukoy na rin natin. May mga psychosocial interventions po tayong ginagawa. Lahat ‘yan nakakasa na.”

He also called on the public to donate school supplies, teachers’ kits, and school chairs for the schools. —Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KG, GMA News