The Department of Education (DepEd) is urging local government units (LGUs) to avoid broad class suspension orders when hazards affect only certain areas, saying more specific announcements could help reduce learning disruptions.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said DepEd is asking LGUs to identify the municipalities, barangays, or schools actually affected by a disaster whenever conditions vary within their jurisdictions.

“Our request is simple: be specific when you suspend. If the risk is limited to certain areas, identifying those areas can help schools in unaffected areas continue learning,” Angara said.

The proposal is included in a draft executive order on the suspension and resumption of classes and work in educational institutions. Under the proposed guidelines, suspensions may be declared automatically, on a localized basis, or at a more specific level depending on the extent of the hazard.

DepEd said LGUs will continue to have the authority to suspend classes, but encouraged coordination with local disaster risk reduction and management offices and education officials before making announcements.

Uneven impact of suspensions

DepEd said class disruptions have varied widely across areas despite a national average of four lost learning days as of Sept. 11.

Region III recorded an average of nine lost learning days, with Pampanga reaching 26 days. Region XII recorded an average of 8.4 days, while Sarangani had 28 lost learning days. In the National Capital Region, the average was 8.2 days, with Caloocan recording 25 days.

Since the start of the school year, 34,775 schools, or 72.49% of DepEd schools nationwide, had experienced class suspensions as of Sept. 10.

“The national average does not tell the whole story. Conditions can be very different even within the same region or local government,” Angara said.

DepEd said the proposed policy would also allow schools to resume in-person classes after a broader suspension if site-specific assessments show that conditions are safe.

However, schools would still need to coordinate with the concerned LGU, especially if the local government had issued the suspension order, to prevent conflicting announcements.

The proposed executive order was approved by the Social Development Committee Cabinet Cluster on Sept. 3 following consultations with education and local government stakeholders.