Public schools open on June 16 – DepEd

MANILA, Philippines — Classes will start on June 16 in all public schools nationwide, and private schools may likewise begin classes on June 16, the Department of Education (DepEd) said yesterday.

“Private schools may adopt the DepEd’s school calendar. They may also set their own start of classes, provided they comply with the School Calendar Law, which states that the school year shall start on the first Monday of June, but not later than the last day of August,” DepEd media relations chief Dennis Legaspi said.

School year 2025-2026 will begin on June 16 and end on March 31, 2026, consisting of 197 days.

Legaspi reminded private schools to be mindful of parameters on set school days, noting that one school year should consist of no more than 220 class days.

Since classes resumed after the pandemic, various groups and education stakeholders have called on the government to return to the old school calendar, citing the extreme heat endured by students in March and April.

Before the pandemic, school years ended in March and resumed in June – leaving schools empty at summer’s peak.

Lawmakers have stressed that the August to June school calendar is inappropriate in the country.

In 2024, thousands of schools suspended on-site classes in March and April due to extreme heat.

Salary increase

Meanwhile, salaries of public school teachers should be increased following the “disappointing” pay adjustments issued by President Marcos, according to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT).

“A monthly increase of P1,500 for entry-level teachers who comprise more than half of our nearly one million public school teachers is a mockery of our profession,” ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua said yesterday.

In a petition with the DepEd, the group said an average annual P50 daily increase for teachers and P20 for salary grade 1 employees fail to address economic constraints in each household amid inflation.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara should endorse the petition, which demands an entry-level salary of P50,000 for teachers and a base pay of P33,000 for salary grade 1 employees, ACT said.