DepEd: Return to old school calendar can’t be rushed

Vice President Sara Duterte also heads the Department of Education. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

MANILA, Philippines —  The return to the old school calendar cannot be rushed, Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte said, as she emphasized the need to consider the rest period of teachers and learners.

“We cannot compromise the rest period of our teachers and learners. We cannot conduct continuous classes because they need rest,” Duterte said in Filipino in an ambush interview after a joint event of DepEd and Go Negosyo on Monday.

Last February 20, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced the gradual return to the old school break starting next school year (through its Department Order No. 003 S. of 2024, declaring May 31, 2024, as the new adjusted end date of the current school year.

Under the order, the agency likewise announced that SY 2024 to 2025 would start on Monday, July 29, and end on Friday, May 16, 2025.

Following this development, the school calendar is expected to end on April 2 for SY 2026 to 2027 and eventually in March for SY 2027 to 2028.

On April 1, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) acknowledged the gradual transition but called DepEd to implement measures to protect teachers and students from extreme heat. 

TDC’s suggestions include shortening face-to-face classes and allowing teachers to wear comfortable clothes, among others.

In line with this, the DepEd announced on Sunday that all public schools nationwide must implement asynchronous classes or distance learning starting today (April 8) to help them complete their pending assignments, projects, and other requirements.