Teachers' group proposes solutions to counter extreme heat
A group of teachers on Monday, April 1, proposed several adaptive solutions to the Department of Education (DepEd) to protect students and teachers from the extreme heat during the “summer” months.

"Unfortunately, those remaining months, April and May, are the hottest. We still have to adjust so that our children and teachers do not have too much trouble like last year," Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) national chairperson Benjo Basas said in a statement.
Basas said given the concerns about students falling ill and teachers’ absences due to extreme heat in 2023, there are specific measures that still need to be practiced.
He explained that these include reductions in-class hours, implementing a shift schedule, and making sure that the teachers and children wear comfortable clothes.
"Kapag hindi talaga kinaya at malalagay sa panganib ang kalusugan, that's the time that we employ distance learning modalities (When (they) can't handle it and put our health at risk, that is the time that we employ distance learning modalities," he added.
The group also called for the suspension of “Catch-Up Fridays” to prioritize learners' academic needs.
"Stop Catch-Up Fridays first so as not to further reduce the limited class days," he said.
The group also proposed that the department should expedite the transition to the old school calendar by ending the 2024-2025 School Year (SY) by mid-April 2025 to facilitate a "faster transition."
Basas explained that with DepEd's plan, it might take two or three years to stop classes during these peak heat months.
DepEd confirmed it had issued DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2024, adjusting the end of the current school year from June 15 to May 31 to "Take good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusive education, and a positive learning environment."
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/2/20/school-year-2023-2024-to-end-in-may-dep-ed
The department also announced the newly released order opening of SY 2024-2025 for basic education on July 29.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/2/20/dep-ed-sets-opening-for-school-year-2024-2025-on-july-2