The school opening date for School Year (SY) 2022-2023 set on Aug. 22 will push through, Vice President and Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sara Duterte confirmed on Thursday, July 14.

In an interview, Duterte reiterated that the incoming school year would start next month while full face-to-face classes would be implemented by November.

“Approved na po ito ng ating Pangulo at meron na po itong DepEd Order No. 34 so tutuloy na po tayo doon (It has been approved by our President and it already has DepEd Order No. 34, so we will push through with it), ” Duterte said.

Duterte was referring to the DepEd Order No. 034 series of 2022 dated July 11 or the “School Calendar and Activities for the School Year 2022-2023.”

The school calendar sets the start of classes on Aug. 22 and will end on July 7, 2023. The incoming school year will consist of 203 school days or as may be determined by further issuances “in case of changes in the school calendar due to unforeseen circumstances,” DepEd said.

The said DepEd Order also contained the guidelines for SY 2022-2023 which highlighted the resumption of full face-to-face classes among students in schools that offer basic education.

The issuance also provided direction and guidance in the re-opening of classes and the gradual introduction of five days of in-person learning modality classes.

Duterte, during the interview, underscored the importance of the resumption of full face-to-face classes by November.

“Meron tayong na-cite na study doon sa presentation sa Pangulo and this is a published paper already na there are really, truthfully, learning losses sa mga bata kapag sila po ay nasa online classes or nasa distance learning (We cited a study in the presentation to the President, and this is a published paper already, that there are really, truthfully, learning losses in children when they are in online classes or distance learning),” Duterte said.

Duterte was not able to cite the title of the research paper but she noted that the results of that study showed learning losses among children who were unable to attend face-to-face classes.

“Yung nakita nila doon, yun po ang conclusion ng kanilang research at ang nakalagay pa doon na it is more pronounced and learners which are in disadvantaged homes, so ibig sabihin po noon, it is worst para doon sa ating mga pamilya na naghihirap (What they saw there, the conclusion of their research and what was stated there was that is more pronounced learners who are in disadvantaged homes, so it means that it is worst for those of our families who are poor),” she added.

When it comes to class sizes, Duterte explained that the “exact sizes” were not set since face-to-face classes may be implemented differently by schools depending on their respective situations.

“Ang nilagay natin doon at inapprove din ng Pangulo during the Cabinet meeting is that physical distancing shall be implemented whenever possible (What we put there and also approved by the President during the Cabinet meeting is that physical distancing shall be implemented whenever possible),” Duterte said.

She added guidelines for recess or break time noting that “eating together should be prohibited” especially if the spaces inside the campuses are limited.

Duterte also assured that there would be a “transition period” for schools to give them enough time to comply with the requirements needed to implement face-to-face classes.