A teacher in Iloilo may face administrative charges following the suspected suicide of a Grade 10 student in May, the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Iloilo said.

The SDO recommended that the Department of Education (DepEd) Western Visayas region file the charges, but did not disclose the teacher’s identity or the school where the incident occurred.

The EdLines’ May 13 story disclosed that the Grade 10 student attended Siwalo National High School in Maasin, Iloilo.

“We found areas of administrative interests,” Dr. Ernesto Servillon Jr., SDO Iloilo superintendent, said in a press conference on June 11. “We recommended administrative complaints or action be initiated to determine the administrative liability of the personnel involved.”

Servillon explained their recommendation stemmed from their investigation into the incident. He added DepEd-6 has the authority to decide on the case.

The SDO investigation focused on the student’s grades and the teacher’s initial report card. 

The student received failing grades in Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan (Entrepreneurship) for the first and second quarters.

“Once the grades are shown to the parents, they should already be the final grade and not the initial grade,” Servillon said.

However, the SDO emphasized they could not establish a link between the student’s death and the grades.

“The claim note, output of the child as well as the personal activity of the child, if we will corroborate it, we cannot establish that the death is grade-related,” Servillon said.

Following the student’s death, DepEd has provided psychosocial interventions to those affected, including classmates and school faculty.

The SDO also highlighted its existing programs that address mental health concerns among students, such as “Creating Hope through Action” and “Project Tib-ong Kabataan.” 

These initiatives equip teachers and guidance counselors to identify students who may be struggling.

“We can identify students that have portrayed red flags and need intervention related to mental health. This is one of the initiatives that we would like to continue to preempt any occurrence or incident related to mental health,” Servillon said.

The SDO noted a shortage of guidance counselors in the province, attributing it to the requirement of a master’s degree for the position.