MALACAÑANG has rejected calls to ease the academic load of students, saying colleges and universities have been lenient in implementing the distance learning scheme.

Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said the Commission on Higher Education has also rejected the calls for a nationwide or Luzon-wide break and suggested to schools to extend their academic calendar instead.

“Pagdating po doon sa ating universities ay nagkaroon na po ng en banc meeting ang CHED, at ang decision po ng CHED ay hindi po papayagan itong academic break na hinihingi ng ilan, kung hindi ang desisyon po ng en banc ng CHED ay para mag-extend po iyong mga pamantasan, mga kolehiyo na hindi nakapagklase dahil sa bagyo ng one or two weeks para po matapos ang kanilang semester,” he said.

Students from different school levels are pleading on social media for a respite from school work using the hashtag #NationalAcadBreakNow.