THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers said that April-May school break is more beneficial to education as summer classes had “damaging impacts” to education quality and health of learners and teachers.

This was the group’s reaction to the Department of Education’s update that its study on reverting the school break to summer months is still underway.

“We are almost through the hottest months and it is alarming how it has made our learners and teachers suffer inside the classrooms. Apart from the incidences reported by media, ACT has received scores more of reports of learners and teachers nationwide who required medical attention as extreme heat caused dizziness, nosebleeding, fainting and triggered existing medical conditions,” Vladimer Quetua, the group’s chairperson, said.

“Blended learning and shortened class period have only deprived learners of precious face-to-face learning time than class suspensions in the months of July and August did in the previous school years. In school year 2019-2020, a specific area had a maximum of 10 days of class suspension due to heavy rains for the months of July and August, while about 16 days of face-to-face classes or half of the in-classroom learning time will be lost if blended learning or shortened class period will be implemented during April and May,” Quetua added.

He said they stand by their proposal for the return of the school break to April and May.

The group also urged the government to improve the learning environment as classrooms in public schools remain packed and lack basic facilities like electric fans, water fountains and proper ventilation.