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| All Philippine schools will now open on Oct 5 instead of Aug. 24 (Asia Foundation photo) |
Schools across the Philippines
Speaking in a virtual press briefing, Education Secretary
Leonor Briones said President Rodrigo Duterte has approved her recommendation
to defer the opening of School Year 2020-2021 to give the National Capital
Region and Region 4A enough time to prepare.
“As per the memorandum of the President, he has given
approval to the recommendation of DepEd which, I repeat, we submitted last Aug
8. Thus, we will now implement such a decision to defer school opening to Oct 5,”
Briones said.
Malacañang Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea issued a
memorandum today to Briones informing her that Duterte had approved the deferment, about a month and a half later than the initial
schedule.
Classes were initially slated to open Aug 24,
but several lawmakers and groups urged the DepEd to delay the start to so
there will be more time to prepare for the transition to blended learning.
This refers to studying from home with the use of learning
modules provided by schools for their students to download online. It was
devised by educators to complement actual classes that were seriously disrupted
by the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Briones said the National Capital Region and Region 4A, or
Calabarzon, where 65% of the country’s economic activity is based, are having
problems with their preparations due to the MECQ that will last until Aug 18.
The NCR or Metro Manila, Calabarzon comprising Laguna,
Rizal, Batangas, Cavite
“We shall use the
deferment to provide relief to the logistical limitations faced by the areas
placed under MECQ and to fill in the remaining gaps of the school opening that
we are currently addressing,” Briones said.
The President signed a law recently that allows for
adjusting the start of the school year beyond August in the event of an
emergency or calamity.
Under Republic Act 11480, the President, upon recommendation
of the Secretary of Education, has the power to set at any date the opening of
classes nationwide or in selected affected areas as the situation requires.
RA 11480 amended RA 7797, which set the opening of classes
as early as the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August.
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| Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love |
“We trust that this
is the final adjustment of the school opening. Even with the implementation of
MECQ, we will use this time to make the necessary adjustments and ensure that
all preparations have been made for the successful opening of classes for School
Year 2020-2021,” Briones said.
She said the postponement of school opening applies to both
public and private schools. She admitted that private schools, many of which
have already started classes, may continue their calendar provided they follow
existing community quarantine guidelines.
Briones said that although private schools have their own
operational plans, they fall under the umbrella of the DepEd and have to comply
with its policies as well as the requirements of the MECQ or of the Department
of Health.
She said areas outside MECQ were directed to continue orientations, dry runs, and delivery of learning resources for the Oct 5 opening.
