Why Schools Are Pushing to Restore the Old Calendar
Will the schools’ request to restore the old calendar be granted? Here’s what we know so far!
With schools returning to a face-to-face set-up, institutions are hoping to revisit the old Republic Act that allows the president to change the start of the school year whenever the nation is in a “state of calamity.” But with the pandemic now officially over, lawmakers of the Makabayan Bloc filed House Bill 8550 to “restore the old school calendar” for the incoming School Year of 2024 to 2025.
House Bill 8550: What Does It Say?
Source: Alliance of Concerned Teachers Facebook
“Under this proposal, the school year will start on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August, with a particular proviso for a June opening for the school year 2024 to 2025 which will ensure the urgent return to the pre-pandemic school calendar,” reads the House Bill’s explanatory note.
It also reads that S.Y. 2023-2024 shouldn’t end later than the fourth week of May to make it easier for students to return to school. Teachers will also receive proportionate vacation pay in light of the adjustments. According to the Department of Education (DepEd), however, they are “still studying” the benefits and costs of reverting to the old calendar, most especially for the many public schools that will need to adjust.
Why the sudden revert?
Originally, the school year moved around in order to accommodate the new education system and also the pandemic. But with everything returning back to normal, the current schedule wherein schools start classes in April and May subjects the students and teachers to the summer heat. The bill also cites that the students and teachers have been reporting cases of “temperatures sweltering, blood pressures rising, and children and teachers fainting,” revealing that the current school year calendar is “ill-fit” to the Philippine climate.
How schools and families are adjusting
Although some schools have adopted a hybrid set-up, others opted to resume full face-to-face classes in consideration of the lack of quality internet and equipment to keep up with lessons. However, some classrooms house as many as 50 students per class, which makes the area more stuffy and difficult to breathe and move in. Some parents have anticipated this, seeing that their kids thrived more in a homeschool learning set-up.
But for working parents, sending their kids to school assures them that their children are learning something, uncomfortable with the idea of their kids self-studying.
Creating a conducive environment for learning
A school calendar consists of pacing the curriculum, adjusting the requirements, and even anticipating the weather patterns to make sure children get the most out of their learning experience. Although online learning has somewhat made studying easier for some, other families see their kids benefiting more from face-to-face classes as it also improves their social skills. In the end, however, a school’s calendar is one that needs consultation not just from the school’s administration but from the parents, too, as the ones who are affected most are the students.
More about the school year or schools:
How To Make Hybrid Learning Easy For Your Kids
How a School’s Culture Can Make Or Break Your Children’s Future
The No-Fuss Guide For Your Kids’ First Day Of School
