Marcos to return traditional school calendar amid heat-related class suspensions
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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said the government intends to return to the traditional school calendar soon due to heat-related class suspensions.
Marcos said this in a media interview as several schools nationwide have to suspend face-to-face classes due to scorching temperatures.
This has reignited discussions on the Department of Education's (DepEd) current school calendar, with calls to return to the pre-pandemic schedule with summer vacation in April and May.
The country changed the academic calendar in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago.
But even before the pandemic, there were suggestions to align the academic calendar of the Philippines with those of other nations, particularly its Southeast Asian neighbors.
Advocates for this change also pointed out that having classes in June and July often coincided with the typhoon season, leading to interruptions in schooling.
However, Marcos acknowledged that the current weather has highlighted potential problems with the adjusted schedule.
"The problem there is climate change because the seasons have changed. Just like now, we didn't expect this. Usually, by now, it's already very hot but it's still early and it's already hot, so we need to adjust," Marcos said.
"Ideally, we want to revert to the previous schedule because there is a consensus that the old schedule was better," Marcos added.
While DepEd projections suggest a full shift back might only occur by 2026-2027, President Marcos expressed a commitment to finding ways to expedite the process.
"We're not saying we won't do it before next year, or the year after that," Marcos said.
"We will try to do it in a way that, in our opinion, may be difficult for us, but as long as there is a way, we will find a way to expedite and facilitate the return to the normal schedule for children," Marcos added.
The Vice President and Education Secretary had previously emphasized that the return to the previous school calendar cannot be rushed, taking into account the need to accommodate sufficient rest periods for both students and teachers.
