No semestral break for Bicol schools affected by Mayon

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) has cancelled the five-day semestral break in schools affected by the activity of Mayon Volcano in the Bicol region.

Based on a memorandum released yesterday, the school divisions of Albay, Ligao City and Tabaco City cancelled the break from Oct. 20 to 24 to make up for the time lost when classes were suspended due to the volcanic activity.

In addition to schools that were actually evacuated, schools that were not in danger zones also had to suspend classes as they were used as evacuation centers.

The memorandum from Albay, issued by school division superintendent Bebiano Sentillas, cancelled the semestral breaks in 57 schools in the towns of Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, Daraga, Camalig and Guinobatan.

Sentillas said the division office would later announce the schedule of additional make-up classes for schools that suspended classes for more than five days in the past few weeks.

Schools that suspended classes for less than five days may use the remaining days of the cancelled semestral break for school activities or mid-year assessments.

Evangeline Palencia, Ligao school division superintendent, also announced the cancellation of the semestral break in all public elementary and high schools in the city.

Palencia said the break should be used to make up for the suspension of classes during Typhoon Glenda and the Mayon threat.

Ma. Luisa dela Rosa, officer-in-charge of the division of city schools in Tabaco, announced the cancellation of semestral break in 15 public schools in the city.

The cancellation of the break will enable schools to comply with a DepEd policy requiring at least 180 school days per year.