Teachers' group renews push to defer classes to mid-September

MANILA — A group of teachers has asked Vice President and Education Secretary to defer the opening of classes to mid-September for them to have enough rest.

According to Teachers' Dignity Coalition national chairperson Benjo Basas, teachers are entitled to a 2-month summer break in a regular school year.

"Walang problema sa amin ang face-to-face [classes]. Ang sa'min lamang naman, ang mga teachers natin hanggang ngayon hindi pa nagpapahinga, hanggang ngayon hindi pa nagkakaroon ng maayos na rest," he told ANC's "Rundown" Wednesday.

Unlike other employees, teachers also don't have sick or vacation leaves, he added.

The last school year ended on June 24 and "Brigada Eskwela" will be implemented from August 1-26.

• SY 2022-2023 begins Aug. 22, blended learning disallowed by Nov

The Department of Education has set the opening of the next school year on August 22 — the date proposed by the previous DepEd leadership – and will end on July 7, 2023.

According to a DepEd order, public and private schools in basic education can implement distance and blended learning only until Oct. 31, 2022.

Starting November 2, schools must shift to 5 days of in-person classes per week, regardless of the alert level status in their localities.

Basas said the group had talked with Duterte in a virtual meeting Tuesday.

"Sabi niya, as of now, ito na talaga, tuloy tayo sa August 22... pero hindi naman siya nagsara," he said.

"Hindi naman kami nawawalan ng pag-asa lalo na that's the first time na directly nakausap natin yung ating Vice President and Secretary," he added.

• Enrollment for SY 2022-2023 reaches 13 million: DepEd

Latest data showed some 13 million students have enrolled for School Year 2022-2023. The figure is close to half of the DepEd's target of 28 million learners.

The DepEd is carrying out enrollment through 3 methods, namely, in-person, remote, and through drop boxes in schools or barangay halls amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Why a teachers' group wants to push back the start of classes to September

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