182 days, with no Saturday classes
PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has approved the July 29, 2024 to April 15, 2025 calendar for the coming school year, with no Saturday classes, as the country starts reverting to the pre-pandemic education schedule.
The President reached his decision last Tuesday when he met with Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte and several officials of the Department of Education to discuss the options for the implementation of the June to March school calendar, starting with the 2024-2025 school year.
Duterte discussed two options with Marcos — 182 school days with 15 in-person Saturday classes, or 167 school days, with no in-person Saturday classes. Both options will end on March 31, 2025.
She said the DepEd discussed the proposed school calendars with teachers, school officials, and parents.
The current school year is set to end on May 31.
The Teachers Dignity Coalition welcomed Marcos’ decision, saying although it does not jive with its proposal that classes end on April 11 next year, the new schedule is fine with the group.
The President, who prefers not to conduct classes on Saturdays, felt the 167-day school calendar was “too short” and significantly reduces the number of school days and contact time between teachers and learners which may compromise learning outcomes.
The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Marcos “did not want students going to school on Saturdays” to complete the 182-day school calendar as it could jeopardize the well-being of students and demand more resources.
As a “compromise,” the PCO said the President opted to extend the school year until April with no Saturday classes to complete the 182 school calendar days, instead of ending the school year on March 31, 2025.
“Let us prolong the school days. Let’s just add more school days so we do not touch the Saturdays. So, the school day will remain the same. Standard,” the PCO quoted Marcos as saying.
After the 2024-2025 calendar schedule, school year 2025-2026 is expected to revert to the June-March schedule.
The DepEd adjusted the start of classes in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ORIGINAL CYCLE
Education Undersecretary and spokesperson Michael Poa told reporters that Marcos reached his decision after a meeting with Duterte, during which “they discussed our proposals and options for the school calendar.
“The option that was approved is basically the school year 2024-2025 that will end on April 15, 2025,” Poa told reporters at the sidelines of a DepEd event in Taguig City.
Poa said this means going back to the normal or original school cycle wherein classes open in June and end in March of next year.
“We are really going back to the normal or original June to March cycle of the school calendar,” he added.
An order issued by Duterte last February indicated that school year 2024-2025 was supposed to start on July 29, 2024, and end on May 16, 2025.
Poa said the DepEd will soon release a new order regarding the calendar for next school year.
“We will just issue a new department order on the school calendar regarding its details,” he added.
Poa said the April 15 ending of the 2024-2025 school year and the June 16 opening of classes is not far from the 180 school days prescribed by educational specialists.
“We are near the 180 school days prescribed by our curriculum specialists,” he said.
NO SATURDAY CLASSES
Poa said the DepEd will no longer hold Saturday classes.
“Since we will end school year 20224-2025 on April 15, we will meet the number of school days required. We no longer need to add more school days by holding Saturday classes,” he said, adding holding Saturday classes would entail more work for teachers and learners.
“We want to prevent fatigue, certain things similar to it,” Poa said, adding the change would not have an adverse impact on the learning outcomes.
The plan to hold Saturday classes was disclosed last week during a hearing at the House of Representatives by DepEd Director Leila Ariola. — With Ashzel Hachero
