DepEd proposes dates for opening of school year 2021-2022

The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Wednesday, June 23, it was proposing to President Rodrigo Duterte three dates for the opening of school year 2021-2022.

The dates being eyed are August 23, September 6, or September 13.

“We will release the final school calendar for School Year 2021-2022 once we get the final approval of the President,” the DepEd said.

August 23 was included in the options because Republic Act No. 7977, also known as “An Act to Lengthen the School Calendar from Two Hundred (200) days to not more that Two Hundred Twenty (220) Class Days,” the “school year shall start on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August.”

But in July 2020, Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11480 that gives him the power to reopen schools later than August during a state of emergency, including the pandemic. This law was applied when Duterte decided to move the school opening date last year from August 24 to October 5.

If classes will open on August 23, students would only have 6 weeks of break – shorter than the usual 2 months.

Classes for the current school year will end on July 10.

‘Enhanced’ blended learning

The DepEd also said it will follow Duterte’s decision to postpone the implementation of limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas. It earlier identified some 300 schools to participate in the pilot run.

“Our utmost priority is the safety of our 27 million learners and more than 840,000 teachers and we will defer to the professional assessment of the Department of Health, IATF, and the wisdom of the President in ensuring their protection,” the DepEd said.

The education department added that it will continue to “prepare the delivery of quality education no matter what the circumstances will be in the coming months.”

“Enhanced” blended distance learning will continue to be implemented, the DepEd said.

Philippine schools have stopped face-to-face classes for over a year now, forcing students and teachers to shift to distance learning. (READ: FAST FACTS: DepEd’s distance learning)