MANILA - The Department of Education (DepEd) said Sunday that they are not planning the cancellation of classes in public elementary and secondary school, after the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) moved the start of classes in all colleges and universities nationwide to June 15 due to cases of influenza A (H1N1) in several universities.

DepEd Public Information Officer Kenneth Tirado said that the agency will not cancel classes in public elementary and high schools despite confirmed cases of influenza A (H1N1) in two major universities.

The DepEd said the reported cases in De La Salle University and Far Eastern University are mostly from foreign exchange students, and that most elementary and high school students have little or no contact with foreign students.

The DepEd also said that students in public schools rarely travel abroad, compared to their counterparts in private schools.

Own decisions

Meanwhile, the education department said it will let private elementary and secondary schools decide on their own if they will cancel classes.

The department said they only have authority over private schools with regard to curricular concerns, and not over administrative and operational concerns.

The DepEd also reiterated that they already have protocols regarding the suspension of classes if ever there are reported cases of influenza A (H1N1) in schools.

CHED directive

On Saturday, the CHED announced that it is moving the opening of classes in colleges and universities to June 15.

"May directive si Chairman [Emmanuel] Angeles in a memo postponing the opening [of classes] in college level from June 8 to June 15 (Chairman Emmanuel Angeles has a directive postponing the opening of classes in college level from June 8 to June 15)," announced Julito Vitriolo, deputy executive director of CHED.

Vitriolo said the influenza A(H1N1) virus is the main reason for the CHED's deferment of opening of classes. He said the department wants to give students, who have travelled abroad, enough time for voluntary self-quarantine.

"At the same time, it could help institutions who have foreign students to prepare," the CHED official said.

He said the other reasons for the opening's deferment were the inclement weather and to give consideration to parents who have financial difficulties.

"The situation in the country right now, it's flooding, [which is] not conducive to students and the schools. So that schools can better prepare," he said. "Parents will [also] be able to get more resources for funding."

Vitriolo, meanwhile, assured that the deferment is still within CHED’s target period for the opening of classes. He said schools, particularly private schools, can open classes until June 29.

'Suspensions won't prevent spread'

Despite these plans for the deferment of class openings, the Department of Health (DOH) said that moving the opening of classes won't guarantee a school's safety from influenza A (H1N1).

"Hindi natin masasabi iyon. Walang kasiguruhan sa virus na ito. Ang banta na iyan, andyan na iyan at hindi basta-bastang mawawala. Ang pasya ng mga school ng iurong ang opening [ng klase] ay malabo ang batayan (We cannot say that. There's no assurance with this virus. The virus' threat will not go away. The schools' decision to move the opening of classes has no clear basis)," Health Secretary Francisco Duque told radio dzMM's Para Sa Iyo Bayan program Saturday.

The health secretary reiterated that schools should use the government's new school suspension alert system for the new influenza virus instead. With reports from dzMM