No lavish graduation rites, says DepEd

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Education in this region reiterates that graduation rites for both elementary and high school students must be simple as mandated in the memorandum order of DepEd central office, said Alejandrito Yman of DepEd regional office in a press interview.
In January 17 of this year, DepEd Secretary Armin Luistro signed DepEd Order Number 4 stating that there should be no extravagant special attire or extraordinary venue for the graduation ceremonies as part of the government’s austerity program.

In said DepEd order, it states that there should be no fees should be collected in relation with graduation exercises.

However, the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) may solicit contribution from their members but it should be voluntary and the amount to be collected should be coordinated with the organization, on where it should be used with proper reporting.

It also stressed that no non-academic project shall be imposed as requirements for graduation.

However, Yman added that no matter how the education agency reiterates that graduation rites should be done in the simplest way, there are parents who decides to have the graduation rites of their children in an impressive way where they wanted to have it outside their schools.

“Although we wanted to have it in a simple way, when it is the parents who wanted to have an impressive graduation rites for their children, we cannot do anything about it,” Yman said.

Yman said that since these extravagant graduation rites will need funds, they are prohibiting the teachers to collect the contribution to avoid controversy.

“It would be much better if the parents will be the ones who will collect the contribution rather than the teachers as it may create accusations that it is the school officials who want extravagant graduation rites,” Yman explained.

“We discourage teachers to collect contribution,” Yman said.

“If there will be extravagant graduation rites, the parents should be the ones who will collect it to make school safe from any controversies,” he added.

Once school officials violate said order, Yman advises parents to file formal complaints against the concerned school officials to the district supervisors or the provincial or regional office of the DepEd, where they will conduct a proper investigation of said complaint. (Roel Amazona)