By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

All public schools in Negros Occidental will comply with the directive from the Department of Education (DepEd) to remove all posters, visual aids and instructional materials from classroom walls.

DepEd-Negros Occidental spokesperson Ian Arnold Arnaiz said if such materials are indeed creating a distraction for all learners, then they are prepared to follow the central office’s order.

Based on DepEd Order No. 21, Vice President and concurrent DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte said all classroom walls should remain “bare” and all traditional educational posters and visual teaching aids that are “unnecessary” should be removed.

Meanwhile, Arnaiz said they have recorded around 234,000 elementary and high school students enrolled in various schools under DepEd Division of Negros Occidental for the new school year.

The numbers are lower compared to the 300,000 enrollees recorded last year.

Arnaiz said they will continue to accommodate late enrollees for the next two months, after the opening of classes on August 29.

Arnaiz also admitted that Negros Occidental still lacks 1,800 classrooms, despite the assistance they received from their respective local school boards.

Libraries and even the principal’s offices will be used in schools where there is a lack of classrooms, he said./DGB, WDJ