DepEd releases school calendar

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has released the updated school calendar that will be used for the upcoming academic year in public elementary and high schools.

The calendar contains adjustments on curriculum operations and school-related activities in light of the changes in schedule for the opening of classes from June 1 to Aug. 24.

“The push back in the formal school opening by nearly three months from the traditional opening on the first Monday of June is intended to afford DepEd enough time to undertake the necessary preparations in what will be an extraordinarily challenging school year,” said Education Secretary Leonor Briones.

“School opening will not necessarily mean traditional face-to-face learning in classroom… Even in areas where schools are allowed to open, physical distancing will be required, which will necessitate schools to combine face-to-face learning with distance learning,” she said.

While teaching and learning activities would formally begin on Aug. 24, Briones said pre-opening activities would be conducted starting Aug. 3

These will include assignments exploring foundational topics and orientation on the utilization of alternative learning delivery modalities and learner materials.

There will also be homeroom activities that include mental health and psychosocial activities, discussion on the effects of the pandemic and orientation on precautionary and preventive measures.

Under the school calendar, there will be 203 class days inclusive of the pre-opening activities.

Briones has authorized the conduct of Saturday classes through long distance learning to make up for the compressed school year.

The Christmas break will be from Dec. 19 to Jan. 3, while the end of the school year will be on April 30 next year.

The end of school year rites would be between April 26 and 30 next year, Briones said.

The government’s task force on the coronavirus pandemic has adopted the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) recommendation to open schools based on the manner of delivering classes.
Higher learning educational institutions using full online education can open anytime. Those who have adopted flexible learning, which involves the use of both the internet and face-to-face classes, can start classes anytime in August, the task force announced.

Institutions using significant residential or face-to-face learning mode cannot open earlier than Sept. 1 in areas under general community quarantine, it said.

DepEd has also released the survey form that will be given to parents and guardians to assess their household capacity and access to distance learning modalities.

It includes questions on access to the internet and devices as well as the preferred modality of learning for the students.

The form will also allow parents to explain the challenges that may affect their child’s learning process through distance education.

Distance learning training

The DepEd and the CHED are set to conduct training programs for teachers on distance learning ahead of the opening of classes this year.

Briones said public elementary and high school teachers should start rendering service starting June 1 even as classes would begin Aug. 24.

“They will be attending orientation, training activities which shall be organized by the regional directors, superintendents and principals,” she said.

The DepEd had earlier announced that distance learning modalities would be adopted in the upcoming school year such as the use of online platforms, radio or television to deliver educational content to students.

Printed modules may also be provided to students who do not have access to gadgets and other technology-based delivery modes of education.

CHED chairman J. Prospero De Vera III said he had issued a memorandum asking universities to train teachers on flexible learning and submit proposals to the commission.

Meanwhile, Sen. Pia. Cayetano is pushing for the establishment of more “blended learning models” to educate Filipino children during the “new normal,” amid the disruption of schools due to the pandemic.

Cayetano, chair of the Senate committee on sustainable development goals, innovation and futures thinking, welcomed the DepEd plan to use different learning modalities – including in-classroom study and individual study or online classroom work – for the basic education sector.

“Clearly, the internet will play a vital role in this proposal, as online teaching is a key component of effective blended learning. So the improvement of internet access in schools and the provision of necessary equipment for teachers to conduct online classes is imperative,” she said. Cecille Suerte Felipe, Alexis Romero