BY IME SORNITO & MA. THERESA LADIAO
ILOILO City – Parents, teachers and learners are in favor of reverting to the old school calendar – June to March – instead of the present August to May.
The Department of Education (DepEd) last week confirmed that it was in the process of amending an old department order in preparation for “gradually reverting” the start of the school year following mounting complaints about the difficulty of holding classes during the summer months.
In the House committee on basic education and culture hearing, DepEd Director IV Leila Areola said they had already drafted an amendment to Department Order No. 22 Series of 2023 to allow schools nationwide to ease back into the old June to March academic calendar, possibly by School Year (SY) 2025-2026.
With this, the Panay News team went around several schools here to get the reaction and opinion of parents, teachers, and even learners, all of whom favored the proposal.
A mother of a Grade 4 pupil at Sambag Elementary School, Jessa Juaneza said her child and even she experienced difficulties brought on by the heat during the summer when there were classes.
“Huo, pabor gid ako ya kay subong siempre mainit bala nga panahon ti nami gid ya kay pag-abot sang March kag April wala na klase kay amo na ang pinakamainit nga binulan,” she said.
She added, “Indi makaya sang mga bata, kis-a nagareklamo ang mga bata nga amo na kainit sa eskwelahan,”
Aside from the hot weather, Juaneza believes that the April to May vacation period is favorable for them as a family because they can spend most of the time bonding.
“Sang last year bala sang puerte gid kainit, bisan ang high school ko nga bata nagareklamo gani nga mainit, ti amo na pabor man ako nga mabalik sa dati,” Juaneza shared.
Ernesto Cruz of Barangay Ungka, Jaro district, meanwhile, said the old school calendar is favorable for his Kindergarten and Grade 5 pupils.
He explained that sometimes his children will get a headache from the heat, which is why they are often absent from class.
“Ibalik para at least ang mga estudyante indi man maka-miss sang ila adlaw-adlaw nga klase,” Cruz said, adding that it would also make the children less distracted inside the classrooms.
The same sentiments were expressed by Eulisa Marbebe from Barangay Sambag, Jaro.
“Kon tag-ilinit daw two hours na lang ang klase, ti daw gamay lang ang matun-an nila kon two hours lang,” she said.
According to Marbebe, last year, around April and May, she and her children exhausted all possible protection against the heat yet still felt the effects.
“Puerte ang init kon magsugat kami. Nagatinumpok kami diri sa waiting shed sa gwa sang eskwelahan. Bisan magpayong ka nagalusot gid ang init,” she explained.
Rosalinda Escober from Barangay Ingore, La Paz district, disclosed that she and her fellow parents went to great lengths to buy an additional electric fan in the classroom for their children.
“Kon temprano pa masugod ang klase kundi temprano pa man matapos kag indi na makaabot sa summer,” she reasoned.
Kim Florentino of Mandurriao district, for his part, said, “Tam-an kainit kon April kag May. ‘Di ba dati April kag May ang bakasyon sang mga bata so mas okay nga ibalik na lang.”
According to friends Christine Luis and Satin Jarabela, Grade 5 pupils of Sambag Elementary School, it would be nice to have the opening of classed back in June so that they don’t get caught up in the hot weather.
“Huo eh, sugot gid kay kapa-ang sang panahon kon may klase pa kami sa April and May,” they said, adding that their classmates would lose focus on the lectures and instead fan themselves.
For Joseph Drilon, a Grade 6 public school teacher and a resident of Barangay Sambag, Jaro, reverting to the old school calendar would be beneficial not just for students but also for parents and teachers.
“In favor ako at the same time naanad ang aton kabataan nga June gid naga-start ang aton classes kag ang summer vacation gina-look forward nila is April and May,” he said.
Drilon explained that since the hot weather peaks around April and May, there are many instances wherein classes are suspended, consequently compromising the academic schedule of learners and teachers.
“Nagaka-apektohan ang academic schedule sang kabataan, pati kami nga teachers nabudlayan. Very favorable sa amon nga mabalik ang amo sina nga schedule sang classes,” he added.
Last year, Drilon implemented modular and online classes to cope.
“Ginatinguhaan man sang Department of Education nga indi man ma-ulihi ang education sector kag ang kabataan nga mahatag sa ila ang best education para sa ila,” he quipped.
Meanwhile, Raquel Jamoyot of Tigum ANP Pilot Elementary School in Pavia, Iloilo, said she will be very happy if the opening of classes returns in June.
“Manami ang tiempo kon magbalik sa June kay mabugnaw kag indi man kami mabudlayan sa pagklase sa kabataan kay kon mainit naga-aliwasa man sanda,” she said, noting that learners even scramble over the limited electric fans.
The DepEd earlier said a return to the old academic calendar might be possible by SY 2025-2026, but they are still studying it because that would also have effects should the DepEd abruptly return to the June opening. (With a report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)/PN
