The Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered a nationwide safety audit of schools and a review of existing policies aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of students. This directive follows the unprecedented June 22 school shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City that left three students dead and 20 others injured.
Scope of the Safety Audit
The audit will examine the effectiveness of current school safety measures, including learner protection mechanisms, anti-bullying initiatives, and mental health programs implemented across the country. DepEd said school safety protocols must be updated to address current challenges and aligned with the measures being implemented by the Philippine National Police (PNP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), and local government units.
Security Personnel and Equipment Assessment
DepEd Undersecretary Malcom Garma said the audit seeks to determine how many schools have regular security provisions in place, including security guards stationed at gates or conducting patrols on campus. “We want to know how many of our schools already have security guards regularly manning the gates or roving around the premises. We are also assessing how many schools have CCTV systems, how many have the capacity to install them, and how many currently have provisions for metal detectors,” Garma explained.
Stricter Campus Entry Protocols
Following the Tacloban incident, DepEd and police authorities have ordered stricter implementation of campus entry and security screening protocols nationwide. Schools are now required to intensify monitoring of individuals entering school premises. In Davao City, security personnel at Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Central Elementary School SPED Center have been observed closely monitoring arriving students and parents at the entrance gate.
