The Department of Education (DepEd) said today that it will investigate reports that a Daet, Camarines Norte school allowed two students to share a single face mask for a graduation photo shoot.
In a statement, the DepEd said that the incident happened on June 11 and that it is taking the matter “seriously” and “rectifying [the] action to prevent [a] further breach in the future.”
“We have started our fact-finding investigation through a Division Investigation Committee (DIC) formed by DepEd Region V. We have also asked the person involved in the breach to submit a written explanation while the local DepEd COVID-19 Task Force will actively monitor the health of the learners concerned through the regional office,” it said.
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“We would like to reiterate that graduation and moving up rites that require face-to-face interaction are postponed until further notice. Schools and community learning centers are highly encouraged to conduct virtual rites and other alternative non-face-to-face activities to celebrate the end of the school year,” the DepEd added.
The incident that spurred the department to take action was a house-to-house visit conducted by teachers from the Dogongan Elementary School. A video of the visit shows a student having his photo taken while wearing a face mask. After the student’s turn is over, one of the teachers takes his face mask and gives it to another child, who then wears it while having his photograph taken.
Sharing of face masks is unhygienic and could lead to the spread of the coronavirus. Medical professionals in Daet have already started tracking down the children in the video because of the possible health risk they may face. The town, which is under the modified general community quarantine, currently has no existing COVID-19 case.
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