DepEd confirms gradual return to old academic calendar

MANILA, Philippines — A Department of Education director confirmed on Monday that starting next school year, schools will be having an earlier class opening as part of the department's gradual revert to the old academic calendar.

DepEd Director Leila Areola said that the department has drafted an amendment for DepEd Order 22, s. 2023, which refers to the official calendar and schedule of activities for school year 2023-2024.

“For now the move is for us to gradually revert to June,” Areola told House members during a hearing by the basic education committee.

Areola said that the start of classes for school year 2024-2025 may not yet be held in June, but the school years after that may return to a June school opening.

“We already have the working document and for 2029 we know what’s going to happen. For sure we will be reverting to June,” the DepEd official said.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers Chairperson Vladimer Quetua said that during DepEd’s recent consultation with stakeholders — which included teachers, parents and students — officials floated a proposed schedule where the current school year (SY 2023-2024) ends May 31.

Quetua said that DepEd is eyeing to schedule the start of classes next school year on July 29 and to hold the opening of classes in succeeding school years in June.

The “gradual revert” to a June class opening requires small adjustments every school year to avoid drastically cutting students’ and teachers’ vacation days, Areola explained.

Quetua said that during DepEd’s consultation with teacher groups, officials offered to triple teachers’ maximum number of service credits from 15 days to 45 in light of the number of vacation days that they will lose to an earlier school opening. 

Areola said that DepEd will officially release the guidelines for the schedule change after the department finishes its consultations with DepEd field staff.

RELATED: DepEd studying proposal to revert to old acad calendar  

Regina Sevilla Sibal of the National Parent Teacher's Association said during the House hearing that they support DepEd's move to revert to a June-March school calendar.

Sibal said that while extreme weather conditions take place during both the