Task Force backs DepEd on August 24 school opening

MANILA, Philippines — The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the recommendation of the Department of Education to set the school year for face-to-face classroom classes from Aug. 24 this year to April 30, 2021, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the school calendar has been moved to Aug. 24 for basic education in consideration of the adjustments needed to deter further the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 among children vulnerable to the disease.

Private schools may start their school year earlier in June, but the IATF advises that the school management adopt online classes or other learning delivery options that would adhere to the social distancing regulations set by the Department of Health.

“All face-to-face, classroom instruction in the basic education will start on Aug. 24,” Roque said. “The opening of classes in private schools may start earlier as long as there would be no face-to-face (interaction) until Aug. 24, 2020,” he added.

According to Roque, the online and home schooling schemes may be used in private schools.

To prevent massive people interaction, Roque said the IATF has discouraged the conduct of job fairs, campus journalism events, school sports fests and other school events that entail mass gatherings.