DepEd: Weekend classes needed when lessons at Taal-affected schools resume
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education is eyeing the resumption of classes in areas affected by the Taal eruption on February 3, Education Secretary Leonor Briones said Monday.
Schools are often used as evacuation centers, which means classes may be disrupted during emergencies and natural calamities like earthquakes, typhoons and volcanic eruptions. Classes are also suspended to allow authorities to check school buildings and classrooms for damage.
"Schools were affected largely by ashfall and the affected divisions are largely in Batangas, Cavite and Laguna," she said, adding the DepEd has been working with local governments to find alternative sites for proper evacuation centers or all-purpose halls.
Briones said in a briefing Monday that the Taal eruption and the resulting evacuation of areas at risk have affected 1,108 schools and around 644,080 learners in Batangas province.
She said the DepEd hopes that schools that are "reasonably distant from Taal" will be able to resume classes by February 3, adding the department has proposed a modified school calendar "so we'll be able to complete the required number of school days by April."
Some classes will have to be held on weekends, she said "with due apologies to our learners and our students", to make up for classes that were disrupted by the eruption.
She said DepEd cannot waive the required number of school days in order for students to move up to the next year level or to graduate, stressing that is "[has] to comply with the requirements because this is a requirement of law."
With the modified school calendar, DepEd hopes to hold moving-up and graduation ceremonies by April 1-6. —Jonathan de Santos
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