Education exec bares return to old school calendar

The Manila Times

Education exec bares return to old school calendar  Education Undersecretary Michael Wesley Poa explains to media the decision of Malacañang to move the schools' closing date to April 15 and to bring back the previous school calendar from June to March. Malacañang said classes for 2024-2025 will open on July 29 and will end on April 15, 2025, while school year 2025-2026 is projected to begin on June 15. Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo, chairman of the House of Representatives' basic education committee, urged the Department of Education to focus on building resilient physical and digital infrastructure.   Video by Red Mendoza  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net    Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital    Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein   #TheManilaTimes  #tmtnews  #schoolcalendar #education

Transcript

00:00School year 2024-2025, we will end on April 15, 2025.

00:08After that, we will start on June 16, the tentative date of the opening of classes for school year 2025-2026.

00:19And the school year 2025-2026 will end on March 31.

00:24So, as you can see, we will be able to return to the original June to March cycle of our school calendar.

00:33When it comes to teachers, actually as early as January, we already have consultations on reversion to the old school calendar or what we call the June to March cycle.

00:46Not just with teachers, but also with parents, student leaders, and other stakeholders, even our field offices.

00:53So, this change is not that far from our consultations.

00:59So, we at DepEd, we will just issue a department order on the new school calendar for the details of this.

01:07So, they just let it go. We are just fixing it now since yesterday, we had a conversation with the President about this.

01:14For us, this shift that we always emphasize, this reversion to the original June to March cycle, we did not consider the weather disturbances.

01:27Because wherever we go, there are pros and cons.

01:32That's why, when it comes to La Nina or El Nino, our policy is to switch to alternative delivery modes.

01:41So that we can reduce the learning disruption and we can have what we call a learning continuity.

01:48Now, we are also encouraging our alternative delivery modes in the Department of Education.

01:53That's why, first of all, we are encouraging our internet connection, Wi-Fi connectivity of our schools.

02:01We are starting this year, what we call a school-wide Wi-Fi program.

02:06So, with our policy of alternative delivery modes, although now we have modular, we have assignments and projects that can be done.

02:16Ideally, of course, we also have infrastructure for our online learning.

02:22That is why, because of that, we are strengthening that part of our services also.

02:29Face-to-face classes are really the most effective.

02:32But we saw, until today, there are still classes that suspend face-to-face.

02:37Online and modules, that's another mode, but not as effective.

02:42Quality education will not be reached if that's the case.

02:44That's why, I am happy if we are here in DepEd and Malacanang, that we will return the old academic calendar.

02:52So that we can make sure that more face-to-face classes, we can ensure the quality of education.

02:58But, we only have two seasons, the rainy season and the summer season.

03:04So now, we are preparing for DepEd.

03:07And here, DepEd cannot do it alone.

03:09They really have a partnership with DPWH and DICT.

03:13First of all, we will make sure that all of our school buildings,

03:17we will make sure that the place will not get wet.

03:21We know that if it rains heavily, the water can leak.

03:24But it's important that there is a proper drainage system so that it can flow immediately.

03:28Second, if we really need to go online because of the typhoon,

03:34or there are incidents like that,

03:36we will make sure that DIC is involved.

03:39We have technology to allow us to go in.

03:42That's why online is not effective now.

03:46Because the technology is not good.

03:49The Wi-Fi is not connected.

03:50That's the problem.

03:52So, the focus will be lost.

03:55Because sometimes, it will freeze.

03:58Sometimes, it will be lost.

03:59It cannot be like that.

04:00We need to make sure.

04:01And third, we also know that if it rains,

04:04sometimes, the school buildings will be used as evacuation centers.

04:08Maybe this is also the time that DepEd, DILG, and local governments should talk.

04:14They should plan where the proper evacuation centers are.

04:18So that our schools will not be used.

04:20If we can go in, we will go in.

04:22But overall, we are happy that the need for evacuation has been met

04:29and we have returned to our old academic life.

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