School opening in August?

The leaderships in colleges and universities in the country have been disturbed lately by the report that three major tertiary schools in Manila, including the University of the Philippines, have changed their opening calendar to August, which is two months later than the usual June opening. What's the reason behind this move?

The forthcoming ASEAN socio-economic integration, slated to take effect in 2015, is the reason. Since most ASEAN countries start classes in August or September proponents of this move contend that it is necessary for Philippine schools, especially higher education, to synchronize their opening schedule with that of our neighboring countries. In this way, our schools can attract foreign students, thus boosting their enrolment and consequently revenues. Conversely, Filipino students and faculty can easily shift to ASEAN schools if they need to do so for highly specialized programs not offered locally.

What is the reaction of the heads of colleges and universities in Cebu City? On the initiative of  UV Executive Vice President Jose R. Gullas, a consultative meeting was held recently. The consensus: caution on the new schedule. If adopted, there are concerns that have to be addressed, one of which is that (per initial survey) majority of the students oppose it, and probably their parents also. One of their contentions is that April and May in the current calendar are ideal vacation  months, what with fiestas and fellowship in countryside areas.

If the weather is factored in, August may be a dry month, but the subsequent months are wet-even typhoon-months . Remember Sendong, or Pablo, or that apocalysic Yolanda? They struck towards the closing months of the year.

Operationally, school heads are worried about the "vacant" months-June and July. Assuming they open in August this year, many of their instructors will be "underloaded" during these months, yet they have to be paid their full-time salaries. The following school year, with first and second year students enrolling in August, more underloading will happen, and so on until the next school year.

Another consideration is the deafening silence of CHED, the government agency tasked to regulate tertiary education. Beyond saying that the new opening is under study, that office has not issued even a hint of its option. So why adopt the change, asked one school head. The decision of CHED is very important because once it is issued it will encourage most if not all colleges and universities to follow it, thereby resulting in uniformity of schedule. Uniformity is critical because if some schools open early while others open later it will be unfair to the latter schools.

DepEd too is non-committed about the shift to August. Right now it's hands are full with K+12 problems and changing the opening of class day is the least of its worries. So if public schools stick to June while higher institutions opt for August, where's the synchrony? Here's the scenario: Fourth year (or senior high school) students finish in March and as usual take a two-month furlough (April and May) but tertiary schools open in August, so students spend two additional vacation months. What a waste of school days!

To be sure, the August opening has its own advantages insofar as the academic operation of tertiary schools are concerned. By adjusting our schedule in harmony with those of our ASEAN neighbors we make it easier for school leaders and faculty to attend regional conferences or training programs sans the problem of conflicting schedule. Also as cited, we make it easier for students to take courses in other ASEAN schools, thus exposing them to the cultural environment in these institutions, a condition that promotes understanding fellowship and peace. Faculty exchanges too are feasible, and this enhances faculty development, a necessary ingredient for quality education. 

Yet these advantages clearly pale against the disadvantages, probably the reason why most local school heads are wary about the August opening.