Recognizing that President Duterte has the “final say” on school opening matters amid the public health situation in the country, the Department of Education (DepEd) will provide three possible school opening dates for him to choose from.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones, during the Laging Handa public briefing on Tuesday, June 15, said that DepEd will do what it did for School Year (SY) 2020-2021.
“Last year, nagbigay kami ng three choices sa Presidente. Hindi naman na sabihin lang natin na dapat magbukas ka sa ganitong date, kailangan may choice naman dahil siya ang magde-decide. (Last year, we offered three choices to the President. We don't just say that you should open on this date, he should be given options because he will decide),” Briones said.
Briones said that DepEd intends to present three options for the President to choose from when it comes to the school opening date. The first recommendation will be to start the school year in August - which is compliant with existing law allowing school opening from June until August.
The second option is to open the school year in the first week of September and the third one is to start the first day of school in the second week of September.
Both options, Briones said, are also compliant with the new law which allows the President to adjust the start of classes during a state of emergency or calamity upon the recommendation of the DepEd Secretary.
While DepEd continues to prepare for SY 2021-2022, Briones maintained that the final decision on matters related to school opening will still depend on the President.
Briones said that DepEd is always looking for a way to respond to the challenges in the education system while respecting the law passed by the Congress.
“Ang Presidente ang magde-decide pero dapat bigyan siya ng lahat ng datos, lahat ng impormasyon na kailangan niya para makagawa siya ng wise or appropriate decision - so, iyon ang sitwasyon (The President will decide but we must give him all the data, all the information he needs to do he made a wise or appropriate decision - so, that’s the situation,” she added.