MANILA, Philippines – Students in public elementary and high schools across the country will have their Christmas break from Dec. 19 to Jan. 3, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).
The schedule of the Christmas break was based on an earlier department order approved by Secretary Armin Luistro.
DepEd said private schools may deviate from the school calendar released by the department, but stressed that their calendar should comply with Republic Act 7797 which set the provisions on the length of an academic year in the Philippines.
According to DepEd, the school year currently consists of 201 school days.
Luistro earlier urged school divisions, particularly in Metro Manila which was affected by a four-day class holiday due to last month’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, to conduct make-up classes prior to the scheduled Christmas break.
“Make-up classes are recommended in lieu of no-school days due to occurrence of a natural and man-made calamities,” the DepEd order read.
“A mechanism for having make-up classes must be agreed upon by school administrators and parents,” it added.
DepEd National Capital Region director Luz Almeda said schools have conducted make-up classes as early as August, immediately after the announcement of the four-day school holiday.