Short but sweet: DepEd asks students to spend sembreak doing something worthwhile

While the semestral break might be short, the Department of Education (DepEd) urged students to engage in activities that would make vacation worthwhile.

DepEd Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Diosdado San Antonio told the Manila Bulletin on Monday, March 15, said that students under the K to 12 Program should try to make the most out of their school break for School Year (SY) 2020-2021.

Asked what students can do during their sembreak, San Antonio said that they should “enjoy moments with family.” Due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, students in all levels - from kinder, elementary, high school, and college - are asked to stay indoors.

Despite being at home, San Antonio said students can still make their school break productive and meaningful.

For instance, San Antonio said that students can use this time to “pursue their passions.” Without classes to attend to and assignments to finish, learners can rediscover their interests or find new hobbies while on vacation.

While the sembreak will only be from March 15 to 19, San Antono said that students can still “spend time doing something worthwhile.”

San Antonio also enjoined students to “reconnect with friends” during this time. Since children below 15 years old are not yet allowed to go out in areas where Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ) is enforced, students can reconnect with their peers and friends through other means - such as using technology.

Moreover, San Antonio underscored the importance for students to use their time in activities that would help them grow as individuals. “Remember that being young is the best time to prepare for the future,” he added.

After the sembreak, classes will resume in public schools. Based on the amended school calendar and activities for this school year, Quarter 3 will start on March 22 to May 15, 2021 while Quarter 4 will be May 17 to July 10, 2021.

With the conduct of face-to-face classes still prohibited, students are currently learning lessons inside their homes to ensure that their education will continue.

For over 26 million students at the basic education level, DepEd is implementing a distance learning approach where lessons are delivered through alternative modalities such as modular (printed and offline), online, television and radio-based instruction or blended learning.