Tacloban shooting: DepEd to convert classrooms where 3 students died

TACLOBAN CITY – The two classrooms at San Jose National High School where three students were killed in the June 22 campus shooting will no longer be used for regular classes as part of the school’s efforts to support students’ recovery from the tragedy.

In a phone interview Tuesday, Department of Education (DepEd) Tacloban Schools Division information officer Nilo Eder said the move aims to aid the emotional recovery of students, particularly the classmates of the three victims.

“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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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.

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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.

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.

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

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