Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte on Monday maintained that the reversion to the old school calendar, which sets vacation months in April and May, would be undertaken gradually.

In an ambush interview on the sidelines of the 4th “Youthpreneur” program in Rizal High School in Pasig City, Duterte said the reversion cannot be rushed to ensure the welfare of teachers and learners.

“Hindi natin pwedeng i-compromise ang pahinga ng ating mga teachers at ng ating mga learners dahil hindi natin pwede i-dire-diretso. Kailangan ng pahinga (We cannot compromise the break of our teachers and learners, we can’t go on a straight [calendar]. They need to rest),” she added.

Duterte’s reaction came amid calls for DepEd to consider the immediate return of the April to May school break.

“Ito ay resulta ng konsultasyon natin. Ang collective decision na ito ay (This is the result of our consultations. This collective decision is) based on our consultations on reversion of our school calendar,” she said.

The education chief said the central office, regional offices, division schools level, with parents and various stakeholders, among others, are part of the decision-making process.

“Iyon na ang nalatag doon sa mga consultations natin na sa susunod na taon. Matatapos tayo mid-May at sa susunod na taon, matatapos tayo April (That’s what we have discussed in our consultations. Next year, we will end by mid-May, then April by the following year),” Duterte said.

The country’s school calendar, which usually starts in June and ends in March, changed in 2020 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

In February, the DepEd released Department Order No. 3, series of 2024, adjusting the end of the school year (SY) 2023-2024 to May 31, setting the school break from June 1 to July 26.

The succeeding SY will run from July 29, 2024 to May 16, 2025.

The DepEd earlier said it would take three school years to fully transition back to the old school calendar. (PNA)