Stay apolitical, teachers and school admins told

CEBU CITY — The Department of Education (DepEd) warned teachers and school administrators that they will be sanctioned if they engage in partisan activities.

DepEd regional director, Dr. Juliet Jeruta, said education personnel are being monitored to ensure they do not engage in partisan politics. She said DepEd has an existing policy prohibiting schools from engaging in any political activity in all elections. “In fact, long before the election, we were given memo by DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, warning us all not to engage in any partisan politics,” she said.

Jeruta stressed that school administrators and faculty members are prohibited from inviting politicians during an event and announcing his accomplishments to the public. “Such an act of announcing the accomplishments would tend to enhance the image of the political candidate before the voting public. Partisan activity is strictly prohibited in schools,” she said.

Jeruta also said that politicians are not allowed to hang their campaign streamers and posters in school buildings and campus walls. “We will not hesitate to investigate teaching and non-teaching staffs who will be subjected to citizens’ reporting and that is why we are warning them that any citizens can report them if their actions suggest they engage in partisan activity,” she said. (John Rey Saavedra)

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