TEACHERS in Northern Cebu focused on debriefing and accounting their students as classes in public schools resumed yesterday.
Arden Monisit, Cebu provincial schools superintendent, also lamented that two elementary pupils from Daanbantayan lost their lives when super-typhoon Yolanda struck last last Nov. 8.
The Commission on Higher Education (Ched), meanwhile, declared a temporary cessation of operations of higher education institutions in Eastern Visayas and severely affected portions in Western and Central Visayas, following the devastation caused by super-typhoon Yolanda.
Informal classes
Monisit told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday that with classes resuming yesterday, principals and teachers belonging to northern Cebu public schools were instructed to first account for their students and debrief them.
He said the teachers were told to hold an “informal” class for an hour and focus on discussing with their students the typhoon.
“We let the teachers discuss typhoon Yolanda then put science in it for the benefit of their students,” Monisit said.
After accounting and debriefing their students, the teachers were then supposed to send them home with relief goods, he added.
But aside from losing classrooms from the typhoon, Monisit also lamented that two pupils from Barangay Tominjao in Daanbantayan will not be able to join their classmates.
Lesmar Rosell, a Grade 7 student of Tominjao National Elementary School, was killed when the typhoon hit the town. Aside from Rosell, her younger brother was killed as well.
Monisit said that when rescuers found the two kids, they were locked in an embrace.
Aside from Rosell and her younger brother, Monisit is also checking if there are other students that were killed during the typhoon.
“We hope that our students are safe and accounted for,” he added.
Damaged
As of yesterday, 874 classrooms belonging to public schools in northern Cebu towns could no longer be used after they were heavily damaged or destroyed by Typhoon Yolanda.
He said the number could possibly increase as they have yet to receive information from school officials from towns under Bantayan and Camotes Islands.
In a statement, Ched chairperson Patricia Licuanan said that in view of the devastation caused by the typhoon, their agency has ordered that all colleges and universities belonging to the affected regions will resume operations by Jan. 15 next year or as soon as their capacity to operate has stabilized or when public safety and security have been assured by competent authorities.
Licuanan also instructed the regional directors of the three regions to undertake all measures in collaboration with each other to track the whereabouts and physical safety
of their respective staff.
“When the situation warrants, affected HEIs are requested to coordinate with the concerned regional director to ensure that no student, faculty or staff of affected HEIs shall be unduly prejudiced in their academic standing, employment benefits, or other compensation packages due them,” Licuanan added.
Meanwhile, to address shortage of classrooms, classes are shortened and students take turns in occupying classrooms, said Monisit.
This means that a classroom will be used by Grade 6, then Grade 5, Grade 4, Grade 3, Grade 2 and Grade 1.
This will be the scheme while the classrooms are still being built or repaired.