Ruckus on DepEd Order 49
TACLOBAN CITY – Social media activities that are “outside school setting” are the ones affected by an order issued by the Department of Education(DepEd) and not those that are related to school or class activities like the creation of group chat(gc)that is used by teachers for communicating lessons and activities to their students.
Outside school setting refers to personal activities, DepEd spokesperson lawyer Michael Poa said.
“The wording of the DO 49 is avoid na lang following them, following learners on social media. But if there is a need to communicate with them thru social media platform wala naman pong masama dun,” Poa said.
“Yung mga gc pwede naman kayong magkaroon ng chat doon with students so wala namang problema as long as it is within the school setting as long as instruction. Hindi naman po ibig sabihin na within the school setting nasa loob lang kayo ng paaralan, and I think that is why nagkakaroon ng confusion and we wanted to clarify that within the school setting basta related sa instructions, sa lesson, sa school activity yung pinag-uusapan wala pong problema,” he explained.
Poa added that the creation of gc has been useful to learners especially during the outbreak of the pandemic as teachers made use of it by giving instructions to their students.
According to the DepEd spokesperson, the purpose of the order was to protect the integrity of the teachers and for practice professionalism.
Any violation committed by the teachers, he said, is to be dealt with under the code of conduct and ethical standards for government employees and officials under Republic Act 6713.
Poa added that what the DO prohibits is for teachers ‘crossing the line’ in dealing with their students.
“Dapat there is a line between the teacher and the learner. You have to be professional kasi yung ang relationship niyo teacher and learners. Once teachers crosses that, it might create a lot of problems,” Poa shares.
Poa added that the order also does not order teachers to unfriend or unfollow students who are already in their friend’s lists or being followed in social media platform.
Poa along with the all DepEd undersecretary and assistant secretary were in Tacloban City Wednesday(Nov.9) for a 3-day national executive committee meeting that started November 8 until 10 as ordered by DepEd Secretary Vice President Sara Duterte that top officials of the agency will have a regular dialogue with officials in the regional offices.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
