Senator Sherwin Gatchalian has expressed his support to the Department of Education’s amendment of the school calendar gradually reverting to the pre-pandemic April-May school break.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Basic Education panel, noted on Wednesday how teachers and learners endure the current school calendar’s higher number of days with extremely hot temperatures.
“I fully support the Department of Education’s move to shift the closing of the current academic year from June 14, 2024 to May 31, 2024,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
“Reverting to the old school calendar will help uphold the safety and well-being of both our teachers and learners. I thank the DepEd for heeding the call of our teachers, learners, and relevant stakeholders in returning to the old school calendar,” he added.
DepEd issued Order No. 3 s. 2024, which amends the basic education school calendar as a “significant step” to a gradual shift to April-May school break.
The current school break is set from June 1 to July 26 while the start of the school year 2024-2025 is set for July 29 which will then end on May 16, 2025.
Gatchalian cited a Pulse Asia survey conducted from June 19 to 23 last year which showed that 80 percent of the 1,200 respondents agreed to bring back the learners’ summer break to April and May.
Gatchalian also noted that during a public hearing conducted by his panel last year, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services pointed out that the current school calendar coincides with fewer days of extreme rainfall and fewer cancellations of classes due to tropical cyclones.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva lauded DepEd for issuing the order “especially now that the country is experiencing the effects of El Niño”.
He said the hospitalization of 120 students in Laguna last year due to heat exhaustion during a fire drill should not happen again.
Villanueva reminded that this adjustment should not reduce the length of the school calendar mandated by law, which is a minimum of 200 days.
“There must be no lull time for students who are transitioning from secondary to tertiary levels. We urge the Commission on Higher Education and other higher education institutions to consider this change so that the students will not lose their momentum in studying and no time will be wasted for them to learn,” Villanueva said, adding that the synchronicity between the DepEd and CHED must be maintained.
DepEd’s revert to the old school calendar is a result of consultations with parents, teachers and other basic education stakeholders who indicated a preference for a June school opening to avoid holding classes during the dry season from April to May. (PNA)
