A group of teachers urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to stop implementing some learning recovery initiatives if it would push through with the conduct of Saturday classes once the school calendar reverts to the traditional June-March cycle.

02 students MB Visual Content Group.jpg — (DepEd / MB Visual Content Group)

In reaction to DepEd's plan to hold Saturday classes to make up for the lost days due to the immediate return to the old school calendar, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC), in a statement, said the agency should consider the removal of programs such as the Catch-Up Fridays and the National Learning Camp.

“Upang matiyak na gugugulin sa pag-aaral ang lahat ng araw na ito, dapat rin alisin na ang Catch-Up Fridays at maging ang National Learning Camp (To ensure that all these days are used for learning, Catch-Up Fridays and even the National Learning Camp should be removed,” TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas said.

During the House Committee on Basic Education hearing on the school calendar on May 13, Basas was among the resource persons invited to discuss DepEd's update on the plan to revert to the old school calendar.

DepEd has already submitted a recommendation to the Office of the President to revert to the old school calendar earlier than originally planned based on the stakeholder consultation.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/6/dep-ed-to-comply-with-marcos-decision-on-reverting-to-old-school-calendar

If approved, DepEd said the incoming school year may still start on July 29 and will end on March 31, 2025, in time for the June school opening in School Year 2025-2026.

However, the school calendar will be "shortened" to 165 days from the usual 180 days in the previous year.

READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/5/8/dep-ed-prepares-proposed-calendar-for-possible-shortened-school-year-what-to-expect

TDC recognized DepEd's plan to shorten the school year 2024-2025 to only 165 days as the group believes it is a “better proposal” than their suggestion of 174 days.

Regarding the planned Saturday classes to compensate for the lost school days, TDC said this “should be studied first.”

“Kailangan munang malaman kung may pangangailan ba o baka naman sapat na ang 165 na araw (It is necessary to determine if there is a need for it or if 165 days are sufficient),” Basas said.

For TDC, there should also be consultations with teachers and curriculum experts.

“Kung lumabas sa pag-aaral na kukulangin ang 165 days para sa lahat ng competencies, tsaka lang maaaring mag-impose ng Saturday classes sa pamamaraang asynchronous upang hindi na rin kailangang pumasok sa paaralan ang mga bata at guro (If the study shows that 165 days are insufficient for all competencies, Saturday classes may only be imposed in an asynchronous manner to avoid children and teachers having to physically attend school),” Basas said.

“At hangga't maari ay nakakalat ang Saturday asynchronous Saturday classes sa buong school year at hindi ito dapat sunod-sunod (Saturday asynchronous classes should be spread throughout the school year and not be consecutive),” he added.

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