DepEd investigates alleged shaming of two Cebu City students by a teacher

The Education Department is investigating the alleged shaming of two Cebu City high school students whom a teacher had accused of cheating on a periodical exam.

According to GMA Regional TV-Balitang Bisdak Alan Domingo's Saturday report on 24 Oras Weekend, the Tisa National High School teacher allegedly took a video of the students getting scolded and then posted it online.

One of the students denied cheating on the test. However, afraid of getting bullied, the student decided to just stay home.

"Hindi mabuti ang kanyang ginawa, sir. Ipinahiya kami, sir. Hindi ako nakatulog," said student "Dodong."

(What the teacher did was wrong. We were shamed. I couldn't sleep.)

The student added that he was unaware that a video was taken of the incident.

"Nalungkot ako, nagalit kung bakit in-upload niya, na pwede namang ipatawag niya ang aming mga magulang."

(I was saddened and angry. Why was the video uploaded? He could have called our parents in.)

The student's mother agreed that it would have been better if the parents had been called in to the school.

She added that they would talk with and abide by the school principal's decision on the matter.

GMA Regional TV-Balitang Bisdak had gone to the school to seek comment on the matter but was told that the involved teacher had not shown up for work in the last two days.

But Principal Roy Genares did speak with Balitang Bisdak and said, "Gusto lang sana niyang ipaalam na bad talaga ang cheating. Ngunit mali pa rin ang paraan na ginagamit ni teacher."

(The teacher just wanted to emphasize that it was wrong to cheat. But the method the teacher used was inappropriate.)

For his part, DepEd-7 Regional Director Dr. Salustiano Jimenez said, "I-observe lang natin ang mga policy ng DepEd, ang batas na nag-protect the learners in the child protection policy."

(Let us just observe the policies of the Deped, the law... the child protection policy that protects learners.)

Jimenez added the professionalism policies recently issued by Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte needed to be followed as well. — DVM, GMA Integrated News