The administration of Sta. Monica National High School (SMNHS) announced that the use of mobile phones/cellphones inside the school premises will be banned effective immediately.
This stemmed when some school officials and Parents Teachers and Community Association (PTCA) officials discovered that some students are engaged in a group chat (GC) whose peers are outsiders in their school. The GC admin, members or participants allegedly instigated some of their peers to commit suicide.
School Principal II Mary Genevive A. Berezo admits that she was disturbed to discover about the existence of the alleged group chat, finding it very strange and warrants immediate attention.
She added that upon knowing the weird circumstances that puzzled her, she elevated the matter to the schools division superintendent of the Department of Education- Puerto Princesa division.
School officials have suspected that suicide cases among SMNHS students were linked to these alleged mysterious group chat.
SMNHS finds it alarming that several students have been committing suicide this year alone, including a graduating student.
In an effort to intensively inform the concerned parents about the matter, the school officials immediately called for a general meeting for such purpose to immediately consult the proposed banning of mobile phones/ cellphones to the parents.
“Kukunin mo ang sarili mong buhay, anong dahilan? Para sa akin, hindi, hindi po normal sa akin. Lumapit na po ako sa division office para tulungan tayo sa problema natin. Mga magulang, hingin ko ang tulong ninyo para sa mga anak ninyo. Para malaman kung ano ang dapat nating gawin? Sino ang bata na yan? Sino ang nanay o tatay ng bata na ito na dapat nating kausapin? Pag-sinasabi estudyante ng Sta. Monica National High School na nagpakamatay, ano po yung impact nyan sa school?” asked Berezo, during a general meeting with the parents.
One of the parents said that when he discreetly opened his child’s mobile phone he discovered a mysterious group chat that sent a disturbing message. He immediately reported the matter to the principal’s office.
“As a father hindi po normal, na makatanggap ang anak ko ng ganun ka disturbing na message. Nung nabasa ko yun, at 2:30am hindi pa po ako nakakatulog. Kasi alarming. Yung message ay hindi galing sa mga kaibigan nya, kundi galing from outside the school. Pumunta kaagad ako kay Maam, pumunta ako sa principal’s office, kasi na-alarma po ako,” he said.
Some parents have expressed their opposition to this new policy, but the majority of the attendees are open to the idea of banning students from using mobile phones while in school.
