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By Jonathan M.
Hicap, Reporter
Politicians
can attend graduation rites but they cannot use the occasion to
campaign.
The Department
of Education has ordered all public schools not to allow graduation
ceremonies to “be used as an avenue for political forum.”
In a
memorandum, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said, “The graduation
rite should be conducted in an appropriate solemn ceremony befitting
the graduating students and their parents.”
His chief of
staff, Glenn Sumido, said candidates in the May elections could be
invited to rites, but they cannot campaign.
Politicians
will also be allowed to become graduation speakers but their speech
should not contain lines that are considered as encouraging the
audience to vote for them or for any candidate.
In addition,
the department has barred all public schools from collecting any
graduation fees or any kind of contribution for graduation
ceremonies.
Lapus said
this is in line with the government’s austerity program.
Parent-teacher
associations may solicit voluntary contributions from members but
principals and teachers can not.
Lapus also
warned teachers from requiring students to submit nonacademic
projects as prerequisite for graduation. In the past, some teachers
ordered students to submit “projects” such as plants, brooms,
and even pocketbooks.
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