By Angeline Garcia
May 2, 2021— Department of Education Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio says that the agency is eyeing to start the next school year on August 23 but added that President Duterte still has the final say.
Photo Source: GMA Network & CNN PH
Despite the sudden changes and unforeseen events, the Department of Education clarified that starting the next academic year on August 23 is just one of the many options that they will present to the President.
They stated that the agency is mandated to start the school “on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August” in line with Republic Act 7797 which allowed extending the school calendar.
But a new law was passed last year saying that the president is allowed to adjust the opening of classes during a state of emergency or calamity.
It was after students, parents, and teachers voiced out their dissent for the said matter.
They are pointing out that most of the agency’s actions are about adjusting the school calendar and not addressing the existing issues of distance learning.
DepEd hopes that many will not find it difficult as the usual two months of vacation will be shortened into six weeks.
ACT Teachers party-list Representative France Castro brought up the teachers’ concern and welfare that DepEd should also consider.
She added that the agency still has not responded to the overtime of the teachers, and starting on August 23 means cutting the teachers’ vacation short.
The school year was originally planned to end in June but it was moved to July 10 to give students some academic ease and additional time to complete their school requirements.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones said that they are planning on a different approach and get on a “higher level of dependency on technology” for the next school year.
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