Following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the Department of Education (DepEd) has relieved a school principal for inappropriate behavior during a graduation ceremony at a school in Antique.

In a press briefing in Malacañang on Friday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the DepEd will still monitor the behavior of Venus Divinia Nietes, the principal of Col. Ruperto Abellon National School (CRANS).

“Dahil na rin po sa naging direktiba po ng Pangulo, agaran pong kumilos ang ating secretary, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara, at ang sinasabing pong guro ay tinanggal na po bilang principal sa nasabing eskuwelahan,” Castro added.

Castro, however, clarified the principal was removed from the particular Antique school for her position, not for her profession as a teacher.

As to the charges that she may possibly face, Castro said it would depend on the DepEd secretary’s succeeding actions.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara requested an exemption from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from the ban on the transfer of public officials and employees during the election period, in connection with the relief of Nietes.

The Comelec approved the request on April 24.

A video of Nietes went viral as she asked students to take off their togas during the April 15 end-of-school-year (EOSY) ceremony.

Reports had it that Nietes allegedly believed the student did not adhere to the DepEd Order 9 to keep the ceremony meaningful but straight forward, as well as the “No Collection” policy, where learners were not supposed to shell out money during their graduation, including for their togas. | PND