The Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered immediate measures to protect students and teachers from extreme heat, the ongoing effects of Mt. Kanlaon’s volcanic activity and a rising dengue outbreak.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the agency is implementing interventions to ensure learning continues safely, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to maintain uninterrupted education despite environmental challenges.

To mitigate the effects of extreme heat, the DepEd has instructed field offices and schools to adjust class schedules, adopt alternative learning methods if necessary, improve classroom ventilation and provide hydration stations.

“We are deeply concerned about our learners’ and teachers’ safety. We are closely coordinating with our field offices to assess the situation in schools and determine the best course of action given the extreme heat,” Angara said.

The agency has advised schools to conduct morning sessions from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., allow asynchronous learning from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and hold afternoon sessions from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Additional rest and hydration breaks are encouraged, particularly in non-air-conditioned classrooms.

It also stressed the importance of well-ventilated classrooms, advising schools to maximize natural ventilation, remove airflow obstructions and install additional fans and cooling devices.

Other safety measures include limiting outdoor activities during peak heat hours, ensuring access to potable water and providing first-aid kits with cooling packs and emergency thermometers. Health personnel are tasked with monitoring heat-related illnesses.

While DepEd clarified there is no automatic class suspension due to extreme heat under its current policy, local officials may declare suspensions in affected areas, prompting schools to shift to alternative learning, performance-based tasks or make-up classes.

In the absence of a local government declaration, school heads and Alternative Learning System coordinators can suspend in-person classes if excessive heat poses health risks.

Offices and schools are instructed to prepare self-learning modules and Dynamic Learning Program tools for alternative delivery modes.

The DepEd is also monitoring a dengue outbreak affecting students and teachers in Luzon, with 124 cases reported in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Angara reminded schools to implement the Department of Health’s 5S Strategy: searching and destroying mosquito breeding sites, practicing self-protection measures, seeking early consultation for symptoms, supporting fogging only in outbreaks and sustaining hydration.

The DepEd is urging schools to collaborate with local governments and health agencies to monitor cases and enforce preventive measures.

The agency is also addressing challenges from Mt. Kanlaon’s eruption, which has disrupted education in Western and Central Visayas since December 2024.

As of 5 March 2025, at least 11 schools are being used as evacuation centers, affecting 11,177 students and 441 personnel, according to the DepEd’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service. These schools are implementing alternative learning methods.

Angara assured continued monitoring and support for affected schools, directing the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service to conduct a consultation meeting with Schools Division Offices in Regions VI and VII and a field visit later this month.

“With these overlapping challenges, we are ensuring that education continues—whether through flexible learning options or direct interventions. Our priority remains the safety and well-being of our learners and teachers,” Angara said.