Graduation in public schools set on March 18 or 19

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) has set the graduation day for all public schools on March 18 or 19.

At the same time, the DepEd reiterated its “No Collection” policy on graduation fees and also prohibited the requiring of non-academic projects for graduation.

In his guidelines for school year 2012-2013, Education Secretary Armin Luisitro warned that schools violating the policy would be penalized.

He urged the public to report to the DeTXT Action Center at telephone number 636-1663 or 633-1942 schools violating his guidelines.

On graduation day, Luistro told school authorities to keep ceremonies simple but memorable.

He said graduation should be an affair that includes civic duties, a sense of community and personal responsibilities and be “without extravagant splurges.”

“It is a part of DepEd’s public service to the people in giving a simple yet unforgettable graduation for students, and that they deserve a ceremony without paying a cent,” he said.

With the year being an election year, the DepEd also called on politicians and candidates for elective posts to respect the solemnity of graduation ceremonies and not use them as a “platform for political forum.”

The DepEd stressed that graduation celebrations and ceremonies should only be for students and their parents.

The DepEd theme for this year’s ceremonies is “Building the Nation’s Future Leaders Through the K to 12 Basic Education Program.”