Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (File photo from his Facebook page)
MANILA, Philippines — Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez on Sunday opposed calls to revert to the old school calendar, in which classes open in June, to spare students from catching rainy season-related ailments.
Rodriguez, a veteran lawmaker, advised the Department of Education (DepEd) to instead focus on uplifting the country’s education system instead of tinkering with the academic calendar.
In a statement, Rodriguez proposed to set aside moves to shift back to the old school calendar of June to March instead of the current August to May.
“Let’s retain the present academic calendar for the sake of our children. Let’s spare them from rainy-season related ailments, like colds, fever, and flu,” he said.
The lawmaker cited studies that there were fewer rainy days in the present school calendar than in the old one.
“Let’s not expose our students and children to more rain, more flooding, and more rainy weather-linked risks. The young, those in preschool, Kindergarten and in the grade [levels], are the most vulnerable,” adding that fewer rainy days meant fewer class cancellations.
Rodriguez further said that the current school calendar aligned with those of other countries and was another “big reason” why the opening of classes was moved to August.
“It enhances collaboration among Philippine and foreign schools and fosters faculty, personnel, and student exchanges,” he said.
The legislator said returning to the old school calendar would mean parents, students, teachers, and other school personnel would need to undergo “new difficult adjustments.”
“They have already adjusted to the August-May timeline. So, let’s leave it at that, let’s not disturb it,” he said.
Rodriguez urged the DepEd to focus instead on improving the students’ education in the fields of sciences, mathematics, information technology, history, culture, English, and moral values.