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The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday, February 20, announced the gradual return of the old school calendar starting next school year (SY).
DepEd made the pronouncement through Department Order No. 003 S. of 2024, which declared May 31, 2024 as the new adjusted end date of the current SY 2023 to 2024.
It also declared the start of SY 2024 to 2025 to be on Monday, July 29, and the end on Friday, May 16, 2025.
“Magiging gradual ‘yung shift ng ating school calendar — back to the usual April [to] May break. So ngayon, ang ginawa po natin ay mage-end tayo ng May 31, pero magstart pa rin tayo around July 29,” DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa told reporters in a chance interview.
(The shift in our school calendar will be gradual — back to the usual April to May break. So what we’ve done now is we will end on May 31, but we will still start around July 29.)
“And then slowly, imomove natin siya back until bumalik tayo doon sa normal na April May break,” he added.
(And then slowly, we will move it back until we return to the normal April to May break.)
‘What majority of Filipinos want’
Originally, the end of SY 2023 to 2024 was supposed to be June 14.
With the adjusted end of the school year, the school break this year will be from June 1 to July 26, 2024.
According to Poa, the decision to revert to the old academic calendar was based on “what majority of Filipinos want,” citing surveys and the results of their own field consultations.
“Generally everyone wants to go back to April May [break],” said Poa.
With the gradual revert to the old school calendar, Poa said DepEd expects an April 2 end of class in SY 2026 to 2027, with SY 2027 to 2028 expected to end around March.
Based on DepEd’s projected timeline, the respective start and end of SYs until 2028 are as follows:
- For SY 2026-2027: Start of SY – June 22, 2026; End of SY (EOSY) – April 2, 2027
- For SY 2027-2028: Start of SY – June 07, 2027; EOSY – March 17, 2028
- Proposed opening for SY 2028-2029: June 5, 2028
School days not affected
When asked if the adjustment drastically changed the number of school days for SY 2023 to 2024, Poa responded that it did not, since only around seven to eight days were deducted in the current SY.
“Hindi ganoong karami ang nabasawasan sa school days natin; if I’m not mistaken, around seven to eight days lang ang nabawas for this SY,” said Poa.
(Not too many school days were reduced; if I’m not mistaken, only around seven to eight days were deducted for this school year.)
“Hindi kasi talaga natin pwedeng bawasan kaagad ‘yon, dahil nga hindi naman matutunan ng bata lahat ng competencies na kailangan nila. That’s why magiging gradual shift,” he added.
(We really can’t immediately reduce those days because children won’t be able to learn all the competencies they need. That’s why the shift will be gradual.)
He also assured the public that the adjustment was based on extensive consultations with several stakeholders, which also included ensuring that student and teacher competencies would not be affected.
Private schools calendar
Meanwhile, for private schools, Poa said they can still choose to either follow DepEd’s guidelines or set their own school calendars, so long as it abides by the law.
“Nakasulat sa batas that schools cannot open before the first Monday of June or later than the last day of August,” said Poa.
(There’s a provision in the law that schools cannot open before the first Monday of June or later than the last day of August.)
In the new school calendar, the third Quarter Examinations during SY 2023 to 2024 will be on March 25 to 26, while the Fourth Quarter Exam begins on May 16 until 17, 2024.
DepEd also encouraged schools to conduct their respective EOSY Rites from May 29 to 31, 2024.
DepEd national activities
Meanwhile, DepEd national activities will be conducted on the following dates:
- Palarong Pambansa: July 6 – 17, 2024
- National Festival of Talents: July 9 – 13, 2024
- National Schools Press Conference: July 9 – 13, 2024
- Learners’ Convergence: July 9 – 15, 2024
Furthermore, under the DO, no voluntary or mandatory tasks or activities shall be given to teachers from June 1 to 30, 2024.
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