HUNDREDS of students marched on the streets of Mindanao State University campus to oppose the decision of the school administration to resume classes a week after a bomb went off at their gymnasium killing four and injuring 72 others.
“Make MSU safe first, wag manhid,” chanted the students as they marched to the MSU administration Monday afternoon.
In a signed manifesto, the students from MSU College of Communications and Health student councils said most of the 14,000 students are still too scared to go back to their class almost a week after the bombing incident.
They petitioned for a shift in classes from in-person to online learning similar to the set-up made by the school during the Covid-19 pandemic two years ago.
“We believe that the transition will aid the University in its continued implementation of security measures within the campus and provide the students to recover from the shock, fear and stress caused by the recent horrific act of violence,” the manifesto said.
MSU President Basan Mapupuno, in his Memorandum No. 294 dated December 7, ordered the resumption of classes starting December 11.
Mapupuno said 1,948 of the 14,855 students enrolled in MSU, have left the campus after the bombing incident last December 3.
The school sent vehicles to Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Pagadian cities to fetch back the students last weekend but only around 300 of them returned to the campus, according to Lawyer Rashid Pandi, director of the MSU Presidential Management Staff.
Pandi and other school officials went down to meet the marching students in front of the MSU administration building to express solidarity with them.
He said it was sad the students had to rally when school classes would wind up for the Christmas break on December 22.
Pandi advised the students to avail “ on a special provision for debriefing and psychosocial intervention” if they are still afraid to go back to “face to face” classes.
“They can even take their final examinations in January next year once they avail on the special provision,” Pandi told reporters.
Pandi advised them to contact the university psychosocial service center and avail of its services.
He said the final examinations which the school was supposed to hold starting December 4, would be postponed till January next year.
Disclaimer
Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.
