ACT proposes gradual return to summer school break

MANILA, Philippines — The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) has proposed the adoption of 185 class days per school year to gradually revert to the summer school break.

In a statement issued yesterday, the ACT said its proposal is in line with the Department of Education (DepEd)’s policy of 180 days non-negotiable contact time between teachers and learners, and five days of teachers’ in-service training (INSET) and learners’ school break in the middle of the school year.

The group added that its proposal aims to finish every school year two to three weeks earlier than the usual schedule and will bring back the school break to April and May after five years.

“Class days have usually been set from 200 to 205 days in the past school years: to include 180 days of non-negotiable contact time, INSET and mid-school break and buffer days for class cancellations due to calamities and other unforeseen circumstances,” ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua said.

“Given the DepEd’s current policy to use distance learning modalities in the event of class cancellations and the thrust to declutter the current curriculum to focus on the most essential competencies, we deem it possible to achieve the learning objectives in 185 class days per year,” Quetua added.

The group issued the statement as the DepEd recently committed to study proposals to revert the school break back to the dry season months.

The ACT reiterated its support for reversion to the summer school break.

“The April-May school break is what suits our country best as the hottest months of the year are not conducive to learning, especially with our inadequate, cramped and non-airconditioned classrooms,” Quetua said.

“These are also the peak months for agricultural harvest, which we know that majority of our learners in the rural areas participate in. As such, we must work toward reverting the school calendar to the pre-pandemic schedule,” he added.

The ACT’s proposal also ensures two months of school break for teachers and learners, according to Quetua.

The ACT chief lamented that the school break has been increasingly shortened in recent school years, “depriving teachers of their right to ample rest and time to recuperate from the grueling work for more than 10 straight months without sick leave nor vacation leave benefits.”

“We hope that the DepEd will consider our proposal and act quickly on the matter. We cannot afford to stick to the current schedule that we have right now as it is affecting the health and welfare of our teachers and learners, consequently impacting negatively as well to learning outcomes,” he said.