Amid suicide of teachers due to depression
GOVERNMENT CENTER, PALO, Leyte- An education official here in Leyte has encouraged teachers to have a support system among themselves.
This call of Edgar Tenasas, assistant schools division superintendent in Leyte, came in the wake of a reported suicide of a teacher in La Paz town.
On July 12, Emylou Malate, a teacher of Bagacay West Primary School, reportedly committed suicide due to depression inside their house.
The 21-year old victim just started her teaching job this school year.
Last March 4 of this year, a teacher of the Leyte National High School, this city, Romela Segador, 23, also committed suicide by hanging herself outside her classroom. She was said to be suffering from depression too.
Tenasas said that support system among teachers is important for them to unload themselves due to heavy paper works that comes with teaching job.
“We will assure the public that this incident will reach to the division executive meeting so we can deliberate on how to eliminate the burdensome work of the teachers. This is worth to be elevated to the national. Whether they listen or not, we will be pushing it to the top. This is a national concern,” he said.
Tenasas appealed to the school principals and administrators “to be extra considerate to our teachers.”
“They report to the school with different emotional ability. There is a need for us to be more caring, understanding, and tolerant,” he said.
Tenasas also encourages teachers to air complaints if they feel they are aggrieved.
(RONALD O. REYES)
