INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines – To start classes at 6 a.m. and end at 11 a.m.
City Mayor Michael Rama is signing an executive order introducing a “paradigm shift” in the scheduling of classes for all schools across Cebu City, in response to the increasing heat index.
Rama proposed adjusting class times from the regular morning to late afternoon schedule to a new timeframe of 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., aiming to safeguard both students and teachers from the severe heat.
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In his ‘Ingna Mayor’ teleradyo program on Thursday, April 4, Rama revealed that he has already engaged in discussions with representatives from the Department of Education (DepEd), who have reportedly shown support for his proposal.
“I am now preparing an executive order to really bring that operationalization about changing the time of going to school,” Rama said.
The mayor also intends to extend these consultations to administrators of private schools to gather their input on the matter.
Rama pointed out that due to climate change and global warming causing extreme weather, there is a need to change our approach to keeping students safe from these harsh conditions.
Subsequently, the mayor also plans to involve the Philippine National Police and the Liga ng mga Barangay, urging them to station personnel at all educational institutions across the city to enhance safety and support.
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Rama pushes paradigm shift: Review DepEd rules
Moreover, Rama urged the DepEd to review its class suspension guidelines in light of climate change and global warming threats.
“Mo-istorya gane ka’g typhoon, naa’y Signal No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Naa say guidelines kung kanus-a i-suspend ang klase. Pero tungod sa climate change, kinahanglan nana og revisiting,” Rama said.
(If you talk about typhoon there is Signal No. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. There are guidelines when classes will be suspended. But because of climate change, we need to revisit (those guidelines).)
However, he said that the decision to suspend classes during emergencies rests with the school heads.
Earlier, Rama delegated the final decision on whether to suspend classes due to the rising heat index to the institutions themselves.
He said he did not wish to decide on what he considered an affair of the institutions, as he cited the fact that not all institutions were significantly impacted by the heat.
The mayor’s statement comes in response to City Councilor Rey Gealon’s resolution requesting the Office of the Mayor to suspend classes at all levels, if necessary, should a dangerous heat index persist.