Extreme heat leads to shorter class hours, blended learning in QC schools
FILE PHOTO: Students and teachers at the General Roxas Elementary School in Quezon City conduct a dry run of face-to-face class in this photo taken on February 8, 2022, to familiarize the students with the new rules in the conduct of classroom learning in the time of the pandemic. INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines —Amid sweltering heat, several schools in Quezon City have adopted shorter class hours and blended learning, the local government said on Friday.
With extreme temperatures in mind, the Department of Education has authorized school principals and administrators to suspend face-to-face classes and transition to alternative methods of instruction.
READ: Schools can call off classes due to heat – DepEd
The local government said of 95 elementary schools, two have implemented print modular, 13 blended, and 10 shortened class periods in the first week of May.
Some of the 63 secondary schools have implemented similar measures. Two have implemented print modular, 26 blended, and eight shortened class periods.
The shortened class period is from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for the morning batch and 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for the afternoon batch. The choice of modality was determined after consultation with all stakeholders.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte welcomed the initiative of the schools, saying: “Our utmost priority will always be the welfare of our children. Since the summer heat is too much to bear, especially in classrooms, we welcome the implementation of blended, modular, or shortened class periods for public schools.”
Aside from Quezon City, Muntinlupa made public elementary and high schools shift to blended learning amid the worsening heat.
READ: Due to heat, Muntinlupa back to blended learning for a month
The heat could take a toll on students’ health, as shown by the incident in Laguna wherein 120 students were hospitalized after observing classroom drills under scorching heat last March 23.
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