By el Amigo
MANILA – Schools have been told to keep the upcoming nationwide active attack preparedness drills realistic enough to teach safety but not so graphic that they could traumatize students, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Monday.
DepEd issued the reminder after moving the Aug. 25 nationwide exercise to the first week of September following the suspension of in-person classes in some areas because of inclement weather.
The department said the revised drills should be designed according to the age and needs of learners and follow a trauma-informed approach.
Rather than staging frightening scenes, schools should concentrate on protective actions, proper communication, coordination among responders, accounting for students and personnel, and recovery procedures.
“Hyper-realistic or graphic simulations” that could create unnecessary fear or distress among learners should not be used, DepEd said.
The warning follows a joint call from the Philippine Psychiatric Association and the Philippine Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry to postpone simulated live-shooter exercises.
The organizations noted that while earthquake and fire drills remain important safety measures, active-attack simulations involving highly realistic violence are different and may pose psychological risks to participants.
They said there is currently no clear evidence that such simulations prevent attacks or reduce the number of casualties, while studies have documented possible lasting psychological effects from exposure to traumatic scenarios.
As an alternative, the psychiatric groups suggested tabletop exercises and guided discussions involving school officials, teachers, staff and parents. Such activities can prepare participants for possible emergencies without subjecting children to disturbing simulations, they said.
DepEd said the additional preparation period will be used to ensure that the safety activity complies with standards on disaster preparedness, child protection and psychosocial support while taking weather conditions into consideration.
Schools were also instructed to include psychological first aid and psychosocial support in their contingency plans.
Regional directors must coordinate with the DILG, PNP, BFP and other relevant agencies to ensure proper preparation and implementation of the exercise.
The rescheduled nationwide drill will be held during the first week of September, although DepEd has yet to announce the exact date.
ia/xf
