DepEd: There will be 209 school days for school year 2021-2022

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu — The school year 2021-2022 will consist of 209 school days, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced on August 7, 2021.

Based on DepEd Order 29, series of 2021, the school year, which had been previously approved by President Rodrigo Duterte to start on September 13, 2021, shall end on June 24, 2022.

The Department said its regular enrollment period will start on August 16 until September 13, 2021, while the Christmas break will be from December 20 until January 3, 2022.

The 209 school days shall be inclusive of Saturdays and the five-day midyear break.

The Alternative Learning System (ALS) learning intervention should open on the same date, however, its learner’s educational background or existing knowledge level prior to the enrollment in the program shall be the basis for its duration.

“With the compressed school year, the conduct of distance learning activities for learners on Saturdays is authorized. Should religious considerations prevent activities on a Saturday, they may be conducted on Sunday. Nonetheless, teachers will not be required to render service on Saturdays and Sundays,” part of the order reads.

Schools may observe national and local celebrations or activities as well as holidays provided that such are beneficial to the teaching-learning process while the total number of class days should not be compromised.

Unless permitted by the Office of the President, face-to-face classes, whether in partial or full scale are prohibited.

Meanwhile, private schools and state or local universities and colleges have been given the choice to deviate from the school calendar. But it should be reported to the respective regional offices in advance.

It further said that Brigada Eskwela and Oplan Balik Eskwela should focus on information campaigns and strengthening partnerships complementing the department’s effort to ensure quality basic education.