DepEd preps nationwide school safety drill

The Department of Education (DepEd) will hold a nationwide simultaneous school safety drill on 3 September, requiring schools to implement trauma-informed safeguards to avoid causing distress among students.

The exercise, previously postponed due to bad weather, will prepare schools for active threat scenarios through step-by-step instructional procedures rather than realistic simulations, the department announced Tuesday.

“Safety is not just about physical security; it is equally about protecting our children’s peace of mind,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

Schools must complete readiness assessments, teacher training, and age-appropriate orientations prior to the exercise. School heads are required to notify students, parents and personnel in advance, as well as secure written parental consent and student assent.

Students who require additional accommodations, or whose parents request alternative arrangements, will be permitted to participate in non-simulation activities without penalty or stigma.

During the exercise, schools will practice securing entry points, silent concealment away from windows, and evacuation procedures modified for students with disabilities, special needs and sensory sensitivities.

A signal distinct from fire and earthquake alarms will initiate the drill.

The agency stressed that the drill will strictly prohibit threat simulations, aggressor role-players, weapons, simulated gunfire, pyrotechnics, graphic imagery or fake casualties.

Guidance personnel and school health officers will remain available to deliver psychological first aid and conduct debriefings. Schools will coordinate with local governments and health facilities if students require specialized mental health support.

Police involvement will be limited to securing external perimeters, testing emergency notification systems, verifying dispatch response, and reviewing post-incident tracking.

Officers will not conduct tactical disarming demonstrations or expose students to aggressive displays. During evacuation drills, students will practice keeping their hands raised, empty, and visible to first responders.

“Our goal for 3 September is to build calm operational confidence and muscle memory through proper orientation, not fear,” Angara said. “Preparedness saves lives, and trauma-informed execution protects our learners.”