WHEN are we ending School Year 2020-2021?

This was the urgent question posed by the Federation of Associations of Private Schools Administrators to the Department of Education, which has yet to release end of school schedule.

“The month of March in all schools used to be the busiest with final exams, graduation rehearsals, blow out and parties among honor students, end of school year but the pandemic disturbs all of those,” FAPSA President Eleazardo Kasilag said.

Kasilag lamented that private schools are in the dark because they do not know when to hold graduation rites.

“We still do not know when we can end this school year,” he said.

“We understand the pandemic erratic schedule but somehow, a timetable has to be set. We also need to know the calendar for school year 2021-2022 that, usually, should have been released last December,” Kasilag added.

Public schools, which opened on October 5, 2020, will end classes on July 16, 2021. However, private schools started classes in August last year, with some as early as June.

“We cannot join DepEd in their closing in July this year. However, we need to know when we are ending the school year 2020-2021 because our parents are asking and we cannot answer them,” Kasilag said.

“We need the advice of DepEd or at least, allow the private schools to decide and exercise our discretion since somehow, private schools enjoy a little autonomy. Usually our parents and students know our school calendar at this time. The schedule of final exam, date of graduation, last day of classes, summer enrichment program, school opening for next school year, etc., but we are at interregnum this time,” he added.