The end of the school year 2020-2021 saw two teachers of the Caninguan Central School in Barangay Caninguan, Iloilo turned into motorbike-riding photographers for their 51 completers to experience a graduation ceremony despite the pandemic.

Grade IV teachers Rhollyn Bedicer and Ariane Grace Copita spent two days last week riding their motorcycles and reaching out to their completers for their graduation photos in preparation for their virtual graduation rites on July 15, 2021.

In visiting the students’ houses, the teachers brought with them a school uniform and a red-colored curtain they hanged on trees as the backdrop for the photoshoot.

“We were happy that the learners and their parents are excited to see their faces on Facebook,” she said as the planned graduation rites will be streamed live.

Parents who do not own cellphones were encouraged to borrow from neighbors and find a good spot to have a strong signal to watch the virtual graduation ceremony.

Among the 51 completers, the most challenging was reaching out to Jenny L. Aron and Geringo C. Libuna, whose houses are located 1.5 kilometers away from the school.

In a phone interview Wednesday, Bedicer said that riding from the school they left their motorcycles at the roadside since they need to walk going to their student’s houses.

They passed through a coffee and banana farm, walked on muddy rice paddies, got lost, and even shouted at the top of their voices to look for the children’s residences.

“They have no means of communications because they have no cellphones,” she said, adding that they went around for almost an hour before they were finally able to find their learners’ houses.

Aron’s and Libuna’s parents were the ones picking up their modules in schools so they have no idea where their houses are located, Bedicer explained.

“Since there are only seven of them left with no pictures, we tried to reach out to them. Otherwise, we will be using the school logo,” said Bedicer, who also serves as the school documenter.

Amid this health pandemic, regional director for Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas Ramir Uytico said that they have to abide by the protocols of the national Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases that there will be no face-to-face graduation ceremonies.

“Everything should be adherent to IATF protocols,” he said in a message.

However, he added that Schools Division Offices and schools can be creative as long as health protocols are observed.

“I cannot give a blanket recommendation because the situation varies. Our priority now is safety but the schools are not precluded to be creative as long as the health protocols are complied with,” he said.Perla Lena/PNA