THE Department of Education (DepEd) has urged its field offices to heighten vigilance and implement stricter preventive measures against school violence and threats to the safety of learners, teachers, and school personnel.
In light of the recent shooting incident inside a school in Nueva Ecija involving two students, the agency reiterated Department Order No. 40, series of 2012, titled the DepEd Child Protection Policy.
Under the measure, all learners and school personnel are prohibited from committing acts of violence, abuse, and exploitation, as well as from introducing into the premises or possessing prohibited items such as deadly weapons, illegal drugs, alcohol, toxic or noxious substances, and pornographic materials, among others.
It also directs all regional offices, schools division offices, and schools to enhance the implementation and monitoring of safety measures and violence prevention strategies, including but not limited to the following:
Strict enforcement of security protocols, such as the inspection of belongings upon entry to the school, increased visibility of security personnel, and regulation of access to the school premises through controlled entry and exit points;
Prohibition of firearms and other prohibited articles within school premises;
Strengthening of policy implementation and reportorial mechanisms for incidents of child abuse, exploitation, discrimination, violence, threats, bullying, gang- and gender-related violence, and other similar cases;
Provision of responsive learner support services, including programs on mental health, youth development, and psychosocial well-being;
Close coordination with local government units, barangay officials, and the Philippine National Police to monitor external threats and ensure the safety and security of learners and school personnel;
Development and implementation of localized school safety plans and contingency protocols; and
Other activities that promote the protection and improvement of the overall well-being of learners, personnel, and other stakeholders.
All these are aligned with the agency’s broader goal of promoting a culture of peace, mutual respect, and accountability within schools.
On Thursday, August 7, 2025, an 18-year-old student shot his alleged ex-girlfriend, a 15-year-old student, inside one of the classrooms of Santa Rosa Integrated School in Nueva Ecija.
The suspect then shot himself in the head. He died on Friday, August 8, while the female victim remains in critical condition.
Police said based on initial investigation, the suspect could not accept that the female victim broke up with him. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)