Classes start August 22, end on July 7

DAVAO CITY – Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has released the guidelines setting the start of classes on August 22 and will end on July 7 next year.

Under the guidelines she signed recently, the Department of Education (DepEd) provides direction and guidance in the re-opening of classes and the gradual introduction of five days of in-person learning modality classes. According to Duterte’s order, there will be no inspections, tools, or any additional requirements to re-open schools; and implementing five days of in-person classes will be required, except for the compliance with the usual pre-pandemic regulatory permits and licenses, as required by law or ordinances.

DepEd only prescribed the options of five days in-person classes, blended learning modality, and full distance learning until October 31. Starting November 2, all public and private schools shall have transitioned to five days of in-person classes. No school shall be allowed to implement purely distance learning or blended learning except for those implementing Alternative Delivery Modes.

Meanwhile, the learning intervention for Alternative Learning System (ALS) will officially start on the same opening date, while the program duration will depend on the learner’s educational background or existing knowledge level before enrolment in the ALS program. In relation to the school opening, the implementing guidelines on the School Calendar and Activities for the year 2022-2023 will apply to all public and private elementary and secondary schools, including Community Learning Centers nationwide.

Private schools, state/local universities, and colleges may implement the calendar. They may also start classes not earlier than the first Monday of June and not later than the last day of August. DepEd said enrollment will be held from July 25 to August 22, and Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela will be conducted from August 1 to 26 and on August 15, respectively. (Mindanao Examiner)