A group of teachers on Tuesday, April 30, lauded the decision of the Department of Education (DepEd) to support the proposal to immediately return to the old school calendar.
"Yun pong dinanas nating init sa mga paaralan at kanselayon ng face-to-face classes last year; na dinaranas din natin ngayon ay hindi na natin mararanasan next year (The heat we experienced in schools and the cancellation of face-to-face classes last year; that we are also experiencing now, we will no longer experience next year),” said Teachers' Dignity Coalition (TDC) National Chairperson Benjo Basas in a statement.
This, after the DepEd “agreed” to revert to the old school calendar --- which schedules classes from June to March and designates the hottest months of the year, April and May, as school break or summer vacation --- starting School Year (SY) 2025-2026.
TDC, which attended a hearing of the Senate Basic Education Committee led by Senator Win Gatchalian on Tuesday, said that DepEd has “expressed its support for the immediate revert to the old school calendar.”
The group cited DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas, who revealed that the agency has “already submitted the proposed adjustment” for the school year 2024-2025 to the Office of the President, with plans to start the school year 2025-2026 in June 2025.
This move, TDC said, “mirrors” the proposal it presented to DepEd and the basic education committees of Congress, as Benjo Basas, who attended the hearing as one of the resource persons.
TDC suggested that the DepEd should conclude the upcoming school year, SY 2024-2025, earlier to facilitate the transition to the June 2025 school opening.
Instead of the original end date of May 16, 2025, the TDC proposes ending the school year on April 11, 2025, covering 174 school days.
Basas pointed out that the school year that will extend to May 2025 will have “many complications.” For instance, the Holy Week schedule next year falls on the third week of April and the country will also have the mid-term elections in May.
“Yung mga guro at mga paaralan ay kailangan ding maghanda (Teachers and schools also need to prepare),” Basas said.
For TDC, the first two weeks of April can already be the “closing” of the school year.
DepEd's response, the group said, has been met with “enthusiastic approval” for exceeding its expectations.
“The agency projects the SY 2024-2025 to end by March 31, with only 165 instructional days, instead of ending on May 16,” TDC said.
While TDC awaits President Marcos’ approval, the group expressed gratitude for DepEd's “responsiveness to the concerns of parents, students, and teachers” and the support of the Basic Education Committees of both houses of Congress.