By MERLINDA A. PEDROSA
“Physical assault and stabbing incidents among students in various public schools in Bacolod City can be considered alarming.”
This was stressed by Lila Vaflor Aro, spokesperson of the Department of Education (DepEd) Schools Division of Bacolod after a 14-year-old Grade 8 male student was allegedly stabbed by a 12-year-old Grade 7 male student in front of Sum-ag National High School on Monday, June 29.
Aro said that in previous school years, there were no reported physical assault or stabbing incidents in schools across the city.
“We are only in the first month of the school year, yet we have already recorded these incidents. We did not experience this for many, many years,” Aro said.
The student victim, sustaining stab wounds on his left arm and left side of his body, has been receiving medical care.
On June 25, a Grade 11 male student was also injured after he was allegedly beaten by Grade 10 and Grade 12 students outside Father Gratian Murray Integrated School in Barangay Granada.
Aro noted that they have already recommended several measures to ensure the safety of students within school premises.
Among their recommendations are the use of gate passes for school partners and stakeholders, the implementation of frisking procedures, the installation of walk-through metal detectors and handheld metal scanners, and the additional deployment of police personnel to help ensure the safety of students both inside and outside school campuses.
Aro said handheld metal scanners will be installed in all public elementary and high schools, while walk-through metal detectors will be placed in schools with larger student populations.
She also called on parents to cooperate in preventing similar incidents.
“Parents should monitor the activities of their children to help ensure their safety outside the school campuses,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Greg Gasataya, who presided over a Local School Board (LSB) meeting with DepEd-Bacolod officials at the Bacolod City Government Center yesterday, said the security measures to be implemented in schools were discussed during the meeting.
He said the city government will also determine the total number of psychologists and guidance counselors assigned to the various high schools.
He added that the LSB will allocate funds for the purchase of handheld metal scanners and walk-through metal detectors.
The mayor also urged parents to closely monitor their children’s activities to help ensure their safety./MAP, WDJ