The Department of Education (DepEd) is ready to submit to President Rodrigo Duterte for approval several proposed dates on the start of the next school year for elementary and high school levels.

At the Laging Handa Briefing, DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said that besides the reported first option of August 23, they have proposed other dates to review.

Sevilla added that these dates are still within the conditions of the Republic Act 11480 signed by Duterte last year. The law allows the chief executive to set the date of the opening of classes in case of a state of calamity or emergency. RA 11480 enabled the President to move the opening of classes of the current school year to October 5, 2020 due to COVID-19.

DepEd is not allowed to open the school year later than the last day of August in consideration of said law.

Moreover, the decision to resume face-to-face learning would still be approved by the President and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF). According to Sevilla, DepEd is currently encouraging its personnel to get themselves vaccinated as they are a part of the A4 category of essential workers.

Almost more than 862,000 public school teachers are part of the agency’s personnel. As soon as more people get vaccinated, DepEd expressed hope that it would allow the resumption of limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas.

Currently, DepEd is procuring laptops for around 68,500 of their personnel to assist them in online learning and work arrangements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency has allotted P2.4 billion for the laptops which is part of the P4.3 billion financial assistance given to DepEd through the Bayanihan to Recover As One Act (Bayanihan 2) law.

Photo Source: Facebook/Annalyn M. Sevilla