All set for
school opening day

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Another school year opens today and in Negros Occidental, about 300,000 students are expected to troop to their classes, to begin another phase in their moves towards the acquisition of the training and preparation for their future lives as worthy members of their communities.

A big number of those who will go to school this morning will be first-timers, very young boys and girls who will expectedly, be seeing this new stage in their lives with a combination of some excitement and a little fear of what they are about to experience. That is why, especially in the Philippines, we see these little children accompanied by anxious parents, sometimes even grandparents, who realize what this milestone could be in the lives of these youngsters.

It will not take very long before these little boys and girls start to get their own bearings and probably come to see school as an enjoyable and fulfilling experience where they will learn, not only basic skills like the so-called 3Rs, but also the ability to interact and build friendships and links that may last them a lifetime. So today, we send them off with our prayers and blessings, because from their ranks will come our professionals and craftsmen, and our future leaders and planners.

We are happy that, despite the over-reaction worldwide to the threat of the new virus that causes what has come to be known as the swine flu, our school officials have not allowed such fears to make them delay the opening of classes all over the country. As already been determined by experts, the new ailment, given the scientific name of A(H1N1) does not have to be as deadly as the current world paranoia has made it appear. Postponing the opening of classes for that reason may have created in the minds of the students, especially the new ones, the idea that they are being exposed to some danger, or to be suspicious of their schoolmates.

In Bacolod City and Negros Occidental, we are happy that not only are our school officials seeing to it that the school opening will be orderly and safe, but our police are also getting into the act to assure this. Let us hope, therefore, that classes will start today smoothly and peacefully, and wish all our students and their teachers the best.*