THE DEPARTMENT of Education on Thursday confirmed that there are 10,883 schools nationwide that experienced violent incidents, including armed conflicts from school years 2009 to 2010 and 2017 to 2018.

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, Education Undersecretary Revsee Escobedo read the agency’s official statement, which also carries the department’s support to Resolution 863, which seeks to investigate the Continuous Radicalization and Recruitment of Students in Education Institutions to the Local Community Terrorist Groups.

The DepEd also underlined the effect of violent incidents on affected schools.

“The impact on these schools has been severe, with damages to facilities and disruptions of classes. Particularly concerning is the consistent presence of all six regions in Mindanao, as well as Regions V and VIII, among the top 10 regions each year with the highest proportion of schools affected by armed conflict,” Escobedo said.

“Time and again, children are often victims of armed conflict, their rights are often violated, and they are particularly vulnerable to recruitment. Armed conflicts create unsafe environments where learners face the risk of being victims of grave child rights violations. The youth, especially out-of-school youths, become vulnerable to recruitment by armed groups and government forces. Schools may also become targets for propaganda and recruitment purposes, endangering the safety of students and compromising the educational environment,” Escobedo added.

DepEd reiterated its position that Schools are Zones of Peace that must be respected and observed by all parties as they are actively implementing Peace Education in schools.

“The DepEd’s commitment to peace education is evident through the Curriculum and Instruction Strand and the Curriculum and Learning Management Divisions. These divisions lead and support schools in providing transformative education that promotes a culture of peace. Peace education is not limited to specific subjects but is integrated across all learning areas, engaging all members of the school community and the wider community. This comprehensive approach creates an enabling environment for instilling peace-promoting values, skills, and attitudes into the fabric of the school,” the Education official said.