DepEd: No ‘untoward incidents’ reported as classes resume after holidays

The resumption of face-to-face classes on Wednesday has been going well so far as learners come back from more than two weeks of holiday break, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

“No untoward incidents have been reported so far in relation to the resumption of classes,” DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa told reporters.

The agency set the Christmas break for the current academic year from December 19, 2022 to January 4, 2023.

However, Poa said, due to the inclement weather local government units had to suspend classes in certain schools in Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.

Eight schools in Northern Mindanao and Caraga were also being used as evacuation centers as of January 3, based on the report of the respective regional directors.

A recent education cluster report provided by DepEd also showed that 41 schools needed roughly P389.50 million for their repair and reconstruction for sustaining infrastructure damage due to the rains and floods brought by the shear line and low pressure area (LPA).

These affected schools were based in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga.

A total of 52 individuals have already reportedly died due to the shear line rains and floods since the Christmas weekend, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Wednesday.

Damage to infrastructure worth over P262 million and to agriculture worth over P243 million were also recorded. The National Irrigation Administration also reported over P2 million in damage. — BM, GMA Integrated News