DepEd changes class suspension policy during typhoons

Beginning this school year, elementary level classes will no longer be suspended whenever storm signal No. 1 is declared by the weather bureau, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced yesterday.

Education Secretary Florencio Abad said this deviation from the policy of canceling classes amid bad weather conditions was being done to address the need to maximize the number of school days in the grade school and high school levels.

"We have observed that since there are no big casualties during storm signal number one, classes in the elementary level should not be disrupted. Minsan kasi malakas na hangin lang ang dala ng bagyo sa signal na ito (Sometimes, only strong winds are experienced during this storm signal)," Abad explained.

Under storm signal No. 1, classes will only be canceled at the pre-school level, he said.

For storm signal No. 2, classes at the pre-school, elementary and secondary levels will be called off.

Abad said classes will be suspended at all levels when the storm signal is raised to number three or four.

However, in cases where there is no storm signal raised but strong rains and heavy flooding are experienced, DepEd will leave it to the discretion of school division superintendents to hold classes or suspend them.

Abad said division superintendents know their areas well and can make a decision by monitoring the weather information for their areas of responsibility.

The education secretary also advised parents to closely monitor weather conditions on radio and television.

Abad said in case there is no storm signal, he advised against calling the DepEd central office in Pasig to find out if there are classes in their place. Rather, parents should call their school principals and superintendents to determine the local school’s status.

"Matatagalan lang sila pag dito tumawag dahil ire-refer din naman namin sila sa school divisions nila. It is better that they call their school divisions and not us," Abad said.

For the college level, Abad said students should contact the Commission on Higher Education.