DepEd open to September school opening but demands careful study

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) is open to the idea of moving the school opening to September to avoid frequent class suspensions forced by stormy weather.

But Education Secretary Armin Luistro said there must be scientific data and consensus to back the change.

At present, the school year starts sometime between June and July, which coincides with the onset of the rainy season, and ends sometime between March and April, the start of summer.

A fresh proposal for the change came from Sen. Franklin Drilon last week following the suspension of classes in Metro Manila and surrounding provinces starting midweek as a result of the widespread flooding caused by incessant torrential monsoon rains.

“DepEd is open to the renewed proposal to move the opening of classes to September but would like to get from PAGASA more solid data on weather patterns,” Luistro said, referring to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

He said DepEd needed to know, among other things, “the intensity of heat during summer and the strength and number of typhoons from September to December.”

Luistro said wide consultations would be needed, as “this will have wide-ranging effects on industry, the local governments’ schedule of fiestas, farming communities’ harvest season,” Luistro said.

Also, Luistro said, the DepEd, the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the Technological Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) must agree on a new school calendar.

DepEd hopes schools in flooded areas will resume classes on Monday, and start within the week extra class sessions to make up for the canceled school days.