DepEd Statement on Accelerating the School Calendar Shift Amid Heat Concerns
April 10, 2024 - The Department of Education (DepEd) has issued an official statement regarding the acceleration of the school calendar shift. The gradual change, as outlined in DepEd Order No. 3, was initially proposed to take place over a five-year period following extensive consultations with field personnel, student leaders, parent organizations, and teacher groups. The consensus from these discussions led to a reduction of the original timeline to two years.
DepEd emphasizes that any further acceleration of this timeline could significantly impact both learning outcomes and the well-being of learners and teachers, due to insufficient breaks. The department has an established policy allowing schools to switch to Alternative Delivery Modes (ADM) in the event of man-made or natural disasters, including severe heat conditions.
As of now, 5,844 out of 47,678 public schools nationwide have adopted ADMs. DepEd points out that not all schools are in the same situation, and therefore, granting school heads the discretion to switch to ADMs provides a more immediate and effective response to varying conditions.
The department assures the public that it remains committed to improving the quality of basic education and will seek clarification from the President regarding his recent pronouncements on the calendar reversion upon his return from the Trilateral Summit.
DepEd thanks everyone for their understanding and cooperation during these challenging times and promises to keep the public updated on any further developments.
