Classes in public schools resume

MANILA, Philippines — Classes in public elementary and high schools resumed yesterday after almost two weeks of holiday break.

While most college and university students are still enjoying their semestral break, students in public grade schools had to go back to classes, as Jan. 2 was not declared a holiday.

“Classes resume today. Learners, as you welcome the New Year, prepare yourselves for new experiences and knowledge,” the Department of Education (DepEd) said yesterday in Filipino in a Facebook post.

The agency cited in its post DepEd Order 009 s. 2024 (academic calendar for school year 2024-2025), which set the Christmas break in all public elementary and high schools on Dec. 21 and the resumption of classes on Jan.2. The same order set the end of classes on April 15.

The DepEd earlier said that DO 009 was in accordance with Republic Act 7797, which lengthens school calendar from 200 class days to not more than 220 class days.

Though not mandatory, private schools and state and local universities and colleges (SUCs/LUCs) offering basic education may adopt the academic calendar set by the DepEd.

In compliance with DO 009, several public schools nationwide announced in their respective Facebook pages the resumption of classes yesterday. Among them were the Commonwealth High School in Quezon City; Tanay Senior High School in Tanay, Rizal; Moonwalk National High School in Parañaque, Tarlac National High School in Tarlac City, Lolomboy National High School in Bulacan; and, Doña Asuncion Lee Integrated School in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

Several private schools, on the other hand, have set for Jan.6 the resumption of their classes. Among them are the Malate Catholic School in Manila, Angel Presence Foundation School in Caloocan City, several Montessori School branches nationwide, Holy Cross Colleges branches nationwide for their elementary and high school departments, St. Christopher Academy in Nueva Ecija and the Kabankalan Catholic College in Kabankalan  in Negros Occidental for their basic education units.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara earlier admitted that the DepEd was alarmed by the learning loss caused by frequent class suspensions due to typhoons and other calamities.

Angara ordered in November a review of DepEd’s existing policy on class suspension during calamities after the agency found out that up to 36 learning days were lost due to class suspensions.