DepEd to repurpose Tacloban school classrooms after shooting

TACLOBAN CITY – The two classrooms at San Jose National High School here, where three students were killed during the June 22 campus shooting, will no longer be used for regular classes as part of efforts to help learners recover from the tragedy.

Department of Education (DepEd) Tacloban Schools Division information officer Nilo Eder said in a phone interview Tuesday that the move will help in the healing process of students, particularly the classmates of the three fatalities who continue to cope with trauma.

“If these classrooms will not be used as storage areas, they may be converted into offices,” Eder said in a phone interview.

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READ: Tacloban seeks more guidance counselors after fatal shooting

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The two classrooms where the victims were found have been cleaned and will be repainted, he added.

Face-to-face classes resumed on Monday after a two-week suspension following the shooting.

Of the 1,608 students enrolled before the shooting, only 1,305 attended in-person classes on the first day of the reopening.

Eder said the lower attendance was expected, as some students are still recovering from the traumatic experience, while others have opted to transfer to other schools.

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He said the return to face-to-face classes will be implemented gradually to avoid overwhelming students as they continue their recovery.

“The gradual resumption of classes is intended to restore a sense of normalcy while ensuring that learners continue to receive the necessary psychosocial support,” Eder said.

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READ: Tacloban school reopens with focus on healing after mass shooting

Eder said counseling and other mental health support services will continue until affected students have fully recovered from the traumatic experience. (PNA)/coa

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