After being in a controversy of letting the students including minors stay inside the school despite the Enhanced Community Quarantine in Davao de Oro, the Community Technical College of Southeastern Mindanao (CTCSM) in Maco town is in hot seat again. This time on the recognition and renewal of the school programs by the Department of Education (DepEd).
DepEd 11 released recently the letter of denial of CTCSM’s application for recognition of its Kindergarten, Elementary, and Junior High School programs, including the renewal of the school’s Senior High School program for the school year 2020-2021 due to “incomplete submissions of documentary requirements and noted deficiencies in the implementation of the K to 12 Curriculum.”
The letter dated May 22, 2020 also states that Deped ordered the school to close down its operations and recommended that its learners be transferred to a nearby public or private school with government permit.
Jenelito Atillo, chief of Quality Assurance Division (QAD) of DepEd 11, said that the letter was received by Cora Larrobis of CTCSM last May 29, 2020.
Atillo emphasized that among the reasons for the denial is that some of the teachers do not have the authority to practice their profession in violation to Republic Act 7836 or the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994.
“Naay mga teachers na dili LET passers. Naa poy teacher sa Kindergarten na walay units sa Early Childhood Curriculum. Ang principal pud is not a full-fledged Master Degree holder on Education or its equivalent. Naa poy seven individuals, who are identified as volunteer teachers, pero ilang qualifications dili in accordance sa Republic Act 10533.”
According to the data from the DepEd, the seven volunteer teachers for Kindergarten, Elementary, and Junior High School programs consist of four high school level, two college level, and one with Automotive Servicing Certification.
In the RA 10533 or the Act Enhancing the Philippine Basic Education System, volunteer teachers with teaching load shall be graduates of science, mathematics, engineering, music and other degree courses with shortages in qualified applicants who are LET passers; graduates of Technical and Vocational courses to teach in their specialized subjects in secondary education; faculty of higher education institutions to teach in secondary education; or practitioners with expertise in the basic education curriculum to teach in the secondary level in part time basis.
Atillo also stressed the inconsistency of the data that the school has, as to the number of students they have.
“Sa ilahang School Form 1, they only have 253 learners, pero sa ilahang Learner Information System (LIS), naa silay 490 students,” he said.
The QAD chief said that personnel of the school were the ones, who encoded that data in the LIS; while the School Form 1 was retrieved by the division during the Oplan Bisita Eskwela last February 4, 2020.
Atillo underscored that CTCSM did not submit School Form 1 since 2017, which is also a requirement.
“As of now, wala silay gisubmit na explanation why there is a discrepancy on their data,” he said.
The official also highlighted that CTCSM failed to submit the Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC) for its buildings.
“Naghatag sila og Affidavit of Undertaking in lieu of the FSIC, but sa balaod, it cannot replace sa FSIC,” Atillo said.
Atillo added that in the affidavit, CTCSM promised that if they cannot comply with the requirements, they will voluntarily close the school, and cause the transfer of their students.
He also said that the school never notified the division office that they have dormitories. The agency’s report also noted that the girls’ dorm is not clean, and unsafe for health and security.
Atillo also belied the statement of CTCSM that it is a Lumad school, since the learners and the administration are mostly not indigenous peoples.
“It is not a Lumad school or a school for the Indigenous Peoples,” he said.
Atillo is hoping that CTCSM will abide with the decision of the agency.
“We trust that the school will respect the decision. And of course, they will not operate anymore for school year 2020-2021.” (PIA11, Michael Uy)
