Rama, his adjusted class schedules for Cebu City schools get support

Adjusted schedules of classes ordered by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama as a way to beat the rising heat have gotten support from some parents and an education official. | CDN Digital file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Some stakeholders including parents and an official from the Department of Education (DepEd) Cebu City Division were in favor of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama’s recent executive order (EO).

Rama officially signed the EO on April 6, Saturday, which takes effect immediately, and adjusts the class schedules for all schools across Cebu City, in response to the increasing heat index.

In the EO, morning classes must begin at 6 a.m. and end at 12 noon; while afternoon-evening classes must begin at 4 p.m. and end at 9 p.m.

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In a phone interview with Cebu City Division’s Superintendent, Nimfa Bongo, on Monday, she said that she agreed with the mayor’s EO.

Bongo said that they “will follow” the schedules stipulated under the EO, although it would impose a challenge to the teachers.

“Ang challenge lang gyud ana is ang preparation of the modules for the subject nga cannot be recited during the schedule kay na shorten man gud ang schedule,” Bongo said. 

(The challenge for that is the preparation of the modules for the subject that cannot be recited during the schedule because of the shortened schedule.)

“And we will also shorten the number of minutes for each subject and there will be additional work na lang sa mga bata (there will be additional work of the children) to be done at home,” she said.

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Moreover, to Margerie Abregondo Catulong, a mother of three elementary students in Bulacao Elementary School, said that she preferred conducting classes in the morning or the 6 a.m. to 12 noon schedule.

“Mas moprefer ko og buntag kay bahalag sayo momata ang mga bata kay mahuman sila’g udto,” she said.

(I would prefer early morning schedule. I don’t care if the kids will have to wake up early because they will finish also by noon.)

She added that she had no problem with the adjusted class schedule as long as her children could have enough rest and sleep at night.

She said that it would also effective to have an early class schedule so that by noon, they would be at home and would no longer have to endure the heat.

“Mga alas tres pwerte na gyud nang inita, alimuot kaayos tanan. Mao nang magkasip-on sip-on ang mga bata ug hilanat. Mas moprefer jud ko’g buntag,” Catulong said.

(At around 3 p.m., the heat would be really unbearable at that time for all. That is why the kids would get colds and fever. I really would prefer the early morning schedules.)

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She also said that the only challenge she would be facing as a parent would be to wake up earlier than she used to so her children could go to school before 6 a.m.

She said that having the schedule adjusted would be better than shifting to fully modular mode of classes because she found the face-to-face classes more efficient for her children than in the modular mode.

She would prefer her children to learn lessons physically in schools because to her, not all parents had the capability to answer their children’s questions the way the teachers do.

The same goes for the two mothers whom CDN Digital also interviewed on Monday, Marivic Dionson and ‘Kristine.’

Dionson and Kristine said that they were also in favor of the EO because their children would no longer need to endure the hot weather while attending classes in the afternoon inside their classrooms.

“Sa ilang room, igang gyud kaayo,” Dionson described her child’s classroom who studied in one of the schools in Cebu City.

(Their room, it’s really very hot.)

To Kristine, she said that she would also sacrifice preparing earlier than usual that allowing her child to attend to classes in a hot weather.

“Para man na sa safety sa mga bata tungod sa kainit pero agwantahon lang sa inahan sama nako nga mangumpra pa. Sayohon na lang [og mata]. Anaron lang ang bata nga pasayohon og mata kay mas safe man kumpara sa hapon,” Kristine said.

(That is for the safety of the kids because of the heat but the mother will just have to endure like in going to the market. We will just have to wake up earlier. We will just condition the children to let wake up early because it is safer for them as compared to have classes in the afternoon.)

In the previous week, various local government units have declared suspension of face-to-face classes due to increasing heat wave.

Deped Central Visayas Director Salustiano Jimenez also expressed appreciation for the LGUs’ efforts to prioritize students’ well-being by transitioning to modular learning rather than in-person classes.