The graduation ceremony scandal at the Col. Ruperto Abellon National School (CRANS) in Antique province is the result of the education sector’s lack of understanding of student rights, youth party Kabataan said.
Reacting to videos of the CRANS principal threatening to call the police on graduating students, Kabataan Partylist (KPL) first nominee Atty. Renee Co said it is time for Congress to stop ignoring proposed legislation for student protection.
“It would not have come to this if students are regarded as humans with rights, rather than as fodder for factories and the labor market,” KPL first nominee Renee Co said.
Co said the principal was wrong on threatening students for wearing toga, instead of the prescribed attire in accordance with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) graduation ceremony policies.
“The children and their parents must not be threatened with police action for simply wanting to celebrate the graduation in such manner,” Co said.
KPL said it fears such blind implementation of policies may worsen bullying and mental health problems among the youth.
It added that the principal must be held accountable by the DepEd.
DepEd meanwhile said it “regrets” the incident and announced it has initiated investigations.
The agency also clarified that it is not prohibiting the wearing of togas in senior high school graduation ceremonies.
It explained that the policy only wishes to encourages simplicity and austerity.
KPL said it will also seek an independent house probe on the issue in support of its Students Rights Bill.
KPL is the author of House Bill no. 257 or the Students Rights and Welfare (STRAW) in the 19th Congress.
It has been ignored thus far.
The youth party had originally filed the measure’s first version as far back as the 16th Congress during its first nominee Raymond Palatino’s term.
KPL said many DepEd policies and schools’ student manuals are harsher than the Philippine Constitution itself.
“We do not want students to grow up oppressed and submissive. Students’ rights matter,” Co said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
