THE Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Baguio is reminding schools to make graduation ceremonies not a burden to parents.
"We expect our graduation to be simple and yet meaningful to our students and parents. Graduation ceremonies for school year 2016 -2017 is on the first week of April," DepEd Baguio Superintendent Agustin Laban said.
Laban said there should be no collection of any amount for contributions before or during graduation and parents are not obliged to donate an amount to the school where their children will be graduating.
"As to the mababayaran, dapat wala but ang mga parents kung gusto nila o willing silang mag-donate sa school ay pwede naman, they can contribute voluntary," Laban explaining contributions are not mandatory or compulsory.
Around 9,000 to 10,000 students will be graduating from public schools in Baguio City this school year.
Meanwhile, Laban also reminded students after the summer to make their free time productive. "Maraming pwedeng gawin ngayon sa kanilang bakasyon to be meaningful dito sa Baguio. Maraming nag-ooffer ng music, sports training o arts na pwedeng salihan. They can go also to their province to help their family. Let us not waste our time," Laban said.
High school students who are at least 15 years old can also join the Special Program for the Employment of Students (SPES) of their respective local government units where they could earn this summer.
For the next school year based on their early registration conducted this year, DepEd Baguio expects about 33,000 students from kinder to grade 6 and around 23,000 students in high school.
The first batch of grade 11 this school year went smooth after the monitoring of the implementation of the program.
Next school year, DepEd will also welcome the first batch of grade 12.
"Ang mga school buildings natin are ready. Yung sa equipment na gagamitin nila ay it has to go to process kasi ang budget naman natin ay annually. So far may mga teachers naman na tayo na magtuturo," Laban said.
