THE HOUSE of Representatives on Monday (06 May 2024) adopted a resolution urging the Department of Education to revert to the old school calendar.

House Resolution 1650 seeks to revert to school calendar that begins in the month of June and ends in the month of March for Basic Education Schools.

It can be recalled that class disruption brought about by the Covid19 pandemic in 2020 had compelled the DepEd to move the opening of classes to October that year from the customary school opening in June.

The shift in the school calendar affected ensuing schedule with classes starting in August for School Year 2022-2023.

However, the resolution cited a survey conducted by a teacher group among 11,000 teachers in 2023 which found out that over 67% of teachers experienced intolerable heat in their classrooms during the peak of dry season.

“This phenomenon had led to waning attention of learners in the classrooms and more frequent student absences,” stated in the resolution.

It also cited survey conducted by Social Weather Station that reveals about 9 in every 10 Filipinos prefer the old school calendar.