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House panel OKs resolution for proposed shift to June class opening

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Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Classes begin at the Payatas B Elementary School in Quezon City on the first day of face-to-face classes in all levels, August 22, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/09/08/20220822-school-opening-payatas-qc-md-49.jpg"/><figcaption>Classes begin at the Payatas B Elementary School in Quezon City on the first day of face-to-face classes in all levels, August 22, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture adopted on Monday a resolution expressing support for proposals to return to the old June-March school calendar from the current August-June schedule.“The existing law gives the President, through the recommendation of the Secretary of Education, flexibility to open the academic calendar anytime between June to the last day of August,” panel Chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo said during a committee meeting.Department of Education Director Leila Areola said consultation with stakeholders on the matter is almost complete, and that the agency is already drafting a document that “aims to gradually revert (the opening of classes) to June”.“For now the move is for us to gradually revert to June. Most likely for school year 2024-2025 we cannot do it yet for June. But the following school year, we might be able to revert to June… For sure, there is going to be reversion, we will be reverting to June,” she told the committee.Resolutions express the sense or position of a committee or chamber but are not binding.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/22/24/school-calendar-change-wont-fix-education-ills-group">Too hot or too rainy? School calendar change won&#x27;t fix education ills - group</a></li></ul><div>SERVICE CREDITS FOR TEACHERS</div>Areola explained that schools cannot abruptly revert to the June-March schedule, because it will shorten the vacation days of teachers.The Alliance of Concerned Teachers said they are amenable to increasing the service credits of teachers from the current cap of 15 days to 45 days. Service credits are used to offset teachers’ absences. Romulo, however, raised a concern.&quot;Sa kanilang proposal, this coming school year, July 29 magsisimula. Sa susunod, 3rd week of June. Susunod, 1st week of June. May maaapektuhang 60 days na bakasyon ng mga teacher. Pwedeng pag-usapan ang DepEd order 23 series of 2023, kung saan 15 days lang ang nakalaan na service credit, at sinabi doon on the table na na ang 15 days na ito gagawing 45,” Alliance of Concerned Teachers Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said.“Ano naman ang effect noon ngayon sa learners? What you’re saying is OK mag-absent ng 45 days?...Bigyan natin ng option. Puwede niyang i-monetize,” Romulo proposed.“Service credit, if they cannot use that, eventually, when they retire, that’s going to be accumulated… mas malaki pa ito kasi mas mataas na ang sahod nila noon,” Areola replied.“Another problem, sa monetization lugi na naman ang teacher, kasi for every three days na service credit nila, equivalent to one day of monetization… Hindi one is to one,” ACT Teachers Party List Rep. France Castro stressed.To address concerns on the proposed 45 service credit days, the Teachers Dignity Coalition, suggested to reduce the days of classes, as long as it does not go below the required 180 days.The DepEd is still studying the proposals.But for the PAGASA weather bureau, the current and proposed academic calendars have their respective challenges.“If we return to June to March, we need to prepare, because more school days will coincide with rainy season- about 60 days, June, July… there would be possibly more tropical cyclone-related cancellation of classes… There are of course positive aspects… fewer days with extremely hot temperature. Kasi itong nakaraang years naka-experience ang learners natin na may fainting and so on,” PAGASA Assistant Weather Services Chief Marcelino Villafuerte said.<div>EDUCATION PATHWAYS</div>The committee also approved on Monday the substitute bill to Pampanga 2nd District Rep. Gloria Arroyo’s House Bill 7893, which proposes to replace the K-12 basic education program with the K+10+2 program.Under the substitute bill named “Education Pathways Act”, students who completed Grade 10 or 4th year high school have two education pathways. They can take technical vocational courses under TESDA. But if they opt to go to college, they will have to take the mandatory two years preparation under Grade 11 and Grade 12.The substitute bill also proposes the conduct of assessment tests to determine the reading comprehension and math skills of elementary and secondary students. Romulo suggested that the diagnostic exams be administered at the end of grades 3, 6, 10, and 12, but clarified that results should not delay any student.“After taking the exam, no student will be retained because of this test. They will be allowed to proceed to the next level. But if DepEd sees that there is deficiency in either reading comprehension, or mathematics, or both, they will be put in special classes, where there will be not catch-up Fridays, but catch-up everyday until the reading comprehension and math skills level age-appropriate are attained. After that, If it takes one month, eight weeks or 12 weeks, they go back to regular programming,” Romulo said.<div>CLASSROOM SHORTAGE</div>Zamboanga Del Norte 3rd District Rep. Adrian Michael Amatong, meanwhile, expressed outrage over the inadequate number classrooms in his district, despite his repeated plea to the DepEd.“We cannot give our students classrooms. Nakakainis na. Nakakagalit na,” he said.“With 55% of my constituents living below poverty threshold, we need classrooms, so our students can study well and they can succeed in life, thus pulling their family up. But no, you gave us how many classrooms for this year? Seven classrooms, and yet… sa mga areas na mayayaman na, binibigyan n’yo ng maraming pondo para sa classrooms nila. How is that fair?” Amatong asked.“I want my constitutents umangat sa kahirapan. But this government is failing us miserably,” he noted.The House panel ordered the DepEd to submit to the committee their plan to address classroom shortage in the country.

The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture adopted on Monday a resolution expressing support for proposals to return to the old June-March school calendar from the current August-June schedule.

House panel OKs resolution for proposed shift to June class opening

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House panel OKs resolution for proposed shift to June class opening

Vivienne Gulla,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 29, 2024 07:31 PM PHT

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Department of Education

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