738 schools to postpone start of classes – DepEd

A total of 738 public schools nationwide will have to postpone the scheduled opening of classes on Monday due to damage caused by Typhoon Carina and monsoon-induced rains and floods.

- ELIZABETH MARCELO

Based on data released by the Department of Education (DepEd) on Friday afternoon, 12,866 schools, located in 10 regions, were affected by the recent onslaught of Carina and the southwest monsoon. The affected regions include the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), National Capital Region (NCR), Regions 1, 2, 3, 4-A, 4-B, 5, 6 and 8.

Of the total affected schools, 246 were flooded while 425 schools are currently being used as evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, 738 public schools, specifically in Central Luzon, NCR, CAR and Soccsksargen, are deemed to be severely affected by the typhoon and thus cannot push through with the opening of classes on Monday.

A breakdown provided by DepEd showed that Central Luzon has the most number of schools that cannot start classes on Monday at 442, followed by NCR with 206 severely affected schools, CAR with 86 schools and Region 12 or SOCCSKSARGEN with four schools.

Bataan was the most affected, with a total of 208 schools deemed unable to open their classes on Monday, followed by Bulacan with 92 schools.