DepEd nag-isyu ng pahayag, nilinaw na hindi ipinagbabawal ang pagsuot ng toga sa graduation
- The Department of Education came out with an official statement saying “DepEd policy does not prohibit the wearing of togas”
- It can be recalled that a video of the principal of Col. Ruperto Abellon National School (CRANS) in Antique ordering students to remove their togas on the day of their graduation has gone viral
- In the video, one can hear the CRANS principal, Ms. Venus Divinia Nietes, saying that wearing of togas “clearly violated the rules”
- DepEd, in its official statement, said “the toga or sablay may be worn as an optional supplementary garment,” and emphasized the need for careful and respectful implementation of policies
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The Department of Education Central Office has issued an official statement regarding the controversial incident that happened during the graduation ceremony at Col. Ruperto Abellon National School (CRANS) in Antique.
Source: Facebook
It can be recalled that the CRANS graduation day, which is a day meant for celebration and pride, took an unexpected turn, when the school principal, Ms. Venus Divinia Nietes, ordered instructed graduating senior high school students to remove their togas before receiving their diplomas, citing that it was not the prescribed attire.
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This directive caused visible distress among the students and their families, turning a milestone event into a source of disappointment.
A video of the incident quickly went viral and also captured the moment when the school principal gave the directive along with an instruction to class advisers to list down the names of those who “violated the rules.”
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The video triggered widespread discussion and prompting an official response from the Department of Education (DepEd) Central Office.
In response to the incident, which sparked outrage online and among the affected community, the DepEd issued an official statement on April 17, 2025, addressing the controversy.
Through Education Secretary Sonny Angara, the department clarified its standing policy on graduation attire.
The statement explicitly affirmed that DepEd policy does not prohibit the wearing of togas for graduation ceremonies.
“For clarification, DepEd policy does not prohibit the wearing of togas. There is no prohibition under DepEd Memorandum No. 27, s. 2025 and under DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2023,” DepEd, through an official statement, stated.
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Citing the aforementioned DepEd Memorandum and DepEd Order, the department outlined that the prescribed attire includes casual or formal wear, or the school uniform, with the toga or “sablay” (a traditional woven sash) being permissible as optional supplementary garments.
The DepEd emphasized that the guidelines were established to encourage simplicity, promote inclusivity, and alleviate the financial burden on families associated with graduation ceremonies.
However, the department stressed that these policies must be interpreted and implemented with careful discernment, ensuring that no student experiences exclusion, embarrassment, or marginalization as a result.
Acknowledging the distress caused by the incident at CRANS, the DepEd announced the initiation of a thorough investigation to ascertain the facts surrounding the principal's decision and to determine if any accountability is warranted.
The department reiterated its firm directive to all school officials to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, compassion, and respect when implementing policies, with the paramount goal of protecting the rights and dignity of every learner.
The Schools Division Office of Antique also released a statement, confirming the formation of an investigation team and instructing the school head and other involved officials to submit a comprehensive incident report along with an appropriate intervention plan.
The division assured the public of its commitment to ensuring that the affected students would not be deprived of their rights as graduates, including the receipt of their diplomas and other credentials.
Furthermore, they pledged to provide necessary psychosocial support to address the emotional impact of the incident on the students.
The incident at CRANS has ignited a conversation about the balance between adhering to DepEd's guidelines on simple and affordable graduation rites and respecting the students’ desire to celebrate their achievement with traditional academic regalia.
The swift response from DepEd underscores the importance of ensuring that school policies are implemented in a manner that upholds the dignity and rights of all students, turning graduation day back into the momentous and celebratory occasion it is meant to be.
News, photos or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, such could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable to just about simply everyone around.
The viral CRANS graduation video also showed a certain “Sir” seemingly confronting the Principal after she ordered students to remove their toga. In the video, one can also hear students egging the certain “Sir” as he appeared to reason out with the principal, Ms. Venus Divinia Nietes, on stage. The said “Sir,” was wearing a golden hued barong seem to be challenging the directive of Ms. Nietes during the graduation ceremony while students can be heard shouting “toga.” Guidelines for simple graduations met with resistance over timing and flexibility.
Meanwhile, the Schools Division Office of Antique has also come out with an official statement saying that it is now looking into the controversial incident at Col. Ruperto Abellon National School (CRANS). It can be recalled that the principal of CRANS ordered the removal of togas being worn by students on the day of the End-of-School-Year (EOSY) rites citing DepEd guidelines. The unexpected directive reportedly upset students and parents who viewed togas as symbolic, with some of those in attendance calling out the principal loudly for her decision. DepEd guarantees diplomas and certificates will be released despite the incident.
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Source: KAMI.com.gh
