British School Manila Might Close in a Year
British School Manila (BSM) is given until the end of School Year 2018-2019 to comply with the requirements for operating international schools, says the Department of Education (DepEd) on Saturday. Failure to do so would result in the closure of the school due to the lack of authority to operate.
“They just have to comply with the requirements for operating an international school or to secure a legislative franchise,” said DepEd Undersecretary for Planning and Field Operations Jesus Mateo. This decision dates back to 2015 under the Administrative Case signed by Leonor Briones and Undersecretary Alberto Muyot, the complaint filed by Ma. Teresita Madamda, the mother of a BSM student who committed suicide after allegedly humiliated by his teacher. The scholar at BSM was accused of plagiarizing and felt he was “humiliated” by his British teacher Ms. Natalie Mann. It led him to jump from the 6th floor of the Dela Rosa carpark building in Legazpi Village, Makati City.
The DepEd decision about the case showed that BSM “has been operating not in the absolute absence of authority to operate” but “with no clear and compliant authority.” DepEd said the school must obtain a legislative franchise as an international school from Congress to legally operate.
DepEd gives BSM a year to comply with the requirements while also advising “its students and their parents of their status in order to apprise them of the situation to enable them to make the necessary actions.” The department imposed a penalty for its operation under lack of authority in its guidelines on disciplinary actions in relation to the offense of plagiarism. Additionally, DepEd will monitor BSM while also ensuring that the school “has no deficiencies in instruction, including student discipline.”
Source: Manila Bulletin, Rappler
