Nearly 300K students in WV to attend in-person grad rites

By John Noel E. Herrera

A total of 292,833 students in Western Visayas will hold their 2023 graduation rites in full face-to-face set up, after three years of restrictions due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to the Department of Education (DepEd)-6.

In a virtual press conference on Thursday, April 20, 2023, DepEd-6 regional director Dr. Ramir B. Uytico said that graduation rites are already back to normal after the DepEd central office allowed the full in-person conduct of moving up and graduation ceremonies in schools this academic year 2022-2023.

This was based on DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2023, which the central office issued earlier to update the multi-year implementing guidelines on the conduct of K-12 Basic Education Program End-of-School-Year-Rites.

D.O. No. 009, s. 2023 stated that the observance of physical distancing and wearing of face masks “shall not be mandatory” and shall be left to the discretion of the learners and their parents or guardians.

Data from DepEd-6 indicated that 155,455 out of the 292,833 graduating students this year in the region are from Grade 12, while the remaining 155,455 pupils are from Grade 6.

It added that there are around 314,495 students who will move up this year, which include 141,378 from kindergarten to elementary, and 173,117 students moving up to high school from Grade 6.

The end-of-school-year-rites this 2023 is anchored on the theme “Gradweyt ng K-12: Hinubog ng Matatag na Edukasyon”, which emphasized that graduation is not only a celebratory milestone, but also a “symbol of resilience, agency, and grit of Filipino learners honed by a solid basic education system that is responsive to the changing needs of the time.”

It added that this year’s graduation will highlight learners’ achievements from an education that succeeds amid all difficulties, just like the COVID-19 pandemic.

DepEd-6 stressed that the following policies must be followed as well:

-discouraging excessive spending, extravagant attire, or extraordinary venues for the conduct of graduation and moving-up ceremonies;

-prohibiting any DepEd personnel from collecting any kind of contribution or graduation/moving-up fee;

-prohibition of electioneering and partisan political activity;

-non-academic projects and off-campus activities, like attending field trips, film showing, JS Prom and other school events should not be imposed as a requirement for graduation or completion;

-casual or formal wear, or school uniform, shall remain as the recommended graduation/moving up attire, but toga or sablay is allowed to be worn as an additional garb; and

-private schools, higher education institutions, technical vocational institutions, state universities and colleges, and local universities and colleges offering basic education or any grade level thereof may opt to adopt the provisions of this Department Order as the basis for the conduct of their moving-up/graduation ceremonies.

DepEd’s calendar of activities also indicated that classes will end on July 7, 2023, but all schools have the discretion to decide the date of their graduation rites, not earlier than July 10 and not later than July 14, 2023.