ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR III
In March 2023, there was a suggestion by the Senate Committee on Basic Education chairman Win Gatchalian to revert back to a June-to-March academic calendar for schools in the Philippines. This would allow students a break during the scorching summer months 1. However, according to the Department of Education (DepEd) guidelines on the School Calendar and Activities for School Year 2022-2023, classes were set to start on August 22, 2022 and end on July 7, 2023 2Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has reiterated his proposal to bring back the old June to March school calendar, which would revert the school break to April and May.This is contrary to the current school calendar which runs from August to June, with the break slated in July to late August.
To revert to the old school calendar, Gatchalian wants a dialogue with the Department of Education, instead of crafting a law. Gatchalian, chair of the Senate committee on education, suggested cutting the school break to one to two weeks per school year, until the school calendar returns to the June school opening.
“We need to do it slowly, pakaunti-kaunti hanggang umabot tayo sa bumalik [sa lumang school calendar]… For example, may isang taon, iiksi ng one or two weeks ang summer hanggang pakaunti-kaunti siya. Hindi mo siya pwedeng biglain, or may isang taong walang summer iyong bata. After school year, pasok ulit siya,” he said.
“If you want to go back to the old system, dapat ang pasukan is June-July. Ibig sabihin wala siyang summer, wala siyang bakasyon [based on current school calendar],” he added.
In the House of Representatives, lawmakers from the Makabayan bloc filed a bill seeking to bring back the June-to-March school calendar.
Teachers’ groups have been clamoring for the same proposal, amid the intense heat felt in schools as students go to class during the hot and humid days of April and May.
In some talks and informal discussions with the same topic, we have seen how confusing things are. It can be noted that some private schools and State Universities are ending and starting the school year in their own according to their liking, leaving a confusing feeling among the learners and parents.
The general clamor is obvious they want the old system and the old dates because according to these stakeholders, these are more ideal to the problems on heat and other variables which includes money for harvest time came on summers and these can be well timed for the enrollment.
The official pronouncement is that we stick on the status quo and wait for the announcement later. For the people, the waiting game is a drag but if it paves for a better policy that would best address the confusion and the realities of our academic standing the they are willing to wait.
