No DepEd okay yet on Guadiz pupils’ transfer
NO approval yet has been handed down by the Department of Education (DepEd) on the proposed transfer of students of the Juan P. Guadiz Elementary School but the administration of Dagupan Mayor Benjamin Lim is already creeping its way into the property that it plans to use for a controversial hospital.
“Wala po pang approval from DepEd Central frm region for any demolition,” said DepEd Regional Director Teresita Velasco in a text message relayed to The PUNCH by Education Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali.
A groundbreaking ceremony was scheduled by Lim last Wednesday for the proposed P50 million Maternal Child Care and Lying-in -Hospital that will be built on the lot where the Guadiz school now stands.
DepEd central office, however, has yet to approve the relocation of some 300 students to a 3-storey building that is being constructed by city hall.
After the DepEd central office got wind of the groundbreaking, regional officials have ordered Velasco and City Schools Superintendent Gloria Torres to submit a report.
“Pls look into this and do what you need to do given this info. Thanks RD, pls give feedback to Usec Albert’s and my office by to(morrow),” reads Umali’s text message.
In a talk with Torres on Thursday, Umali said she just came from Guadiz Elementary School and saw the tarpaulin that reads: “On this site the Maternal Child Care and Lying-in Clinic will rise”.
Torres said it is not the DepEd official on the ground that has the authority to decide when pupils are vacating a school and transferring to a new school building.
She added that the building was already validated by the DepEd regional office and has submitted its recommendation to the DepEd central office.
“Up to this time, hinihintay pa rin po natin yong result ng ipinadala nilang recommendation,” Torres said.
Torres said she was invited to the groundbreaking ceremony but did not have a part in the program.
She and other officials of the city schools division, including Velasco, as well as Torres, were in Urdaneta during the scheduled groundbreaking for the annual Regional Press Conference for campus journalists.–with report from Dada Austria
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