It’s back to school for students across the country this week. Make sure you’ve got all their things ready – and before you drop them off, take a quick look at the latest education news from all over QC.

Vice-Mayor Pushes for School Opening Postponement

QC acting mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista has called on city education officials to put off the opening of classes for another week, to June 8 instead of June 1. In a press statement, he said that the postponement would allow health authorities to complete and impose safety policies to guard students against the threat of Influenza A H1N1.

QC harbors one of the biggest populations of public school students in the country (current counts estimated at around 400,000 students); this figure does not take into consideration the numbers of children and teenagers attending private schools in the city. This large concentration of students means that any potential for the sickness to spread will concern parents and school officials alike.

Bautista, who is acting mayor until May 30, has already urged the Department of Health to conduct testing for the sickness in both private and public schools, as well as to make the testing kits for Influenza A H1N1 available to teachers and students.

He has encouraged schools to ensure ample supplies of soap and clean water so that students can wash their hands and prevent the spread of sickness.

Quality Education Remains Top QC Priority

A recent statement from QC Mayor Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte reiterates that Quezon City is committed to the continuing professionalization and improvement of the competencies of public school and day care teachers, and that the city will invest more into training and empowering them this year.

“Hell-bent” on improving the quality of teaching in QC, the Mayor’s Office has already put into action initiatives such as the E-Kasi QC project and SB Pro-Day Care.

E-Kasi QC focuses on the public elementary and high schools and provides their teachers with intensive training in Math and English; while SB Pro-Day Care aims to upgrade the skills of daycare teachers via certificate courses in Early Childhood Education.

The programs are being conducted in conjunction with education experts at the Ateneo Center for Educational Development and Miriam College.