THE Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has recommended that the nation’s private universities and colleges shift to a new academic calendar and move the first day of the first semester for school year 2020-21 to August.
Before the ongoing lockdown that closed down all schools in Metro Manila and Luzon, along with all other community activities – social, commercial, political, etc. – to stop the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the current school year was due to end last March. Summer sessions were to be held in April and May. And the 2020-2021 school year was to begin in June.
But the government locked down all activities that could help spread COVID-19 starting last March 15 to April 15, then extended it for two more weeks to April 30. Officials are now studying whether to further extend the lockdown, allow a gradual return to normal, or allow a selective lifting of activities.
In view of the uncertainty of the situation, CHED Chairman J. Prospero de Vera said it might be best for the nation’s private schools to prepare for an August opening for the new school year.
The coronavirus restrictions are likely to continue in varying degrees for most activities in the next two or three months, and schools are particularly vulnerable to restrictions on social distancing – maintaining a distance of at least one meter from the next person.
Schools need to make a lot of adjustments when they reopen, the CHED chairman said. They have to institute and maintain regular disinfection of their classrooms and other school premises. They need to review and reset all classroom seating arrangements. They need to consult with health experts on other steps that must be taken to protect students from COVID-19.
Schools will have more time to make all these adjustments if they move the opening of the 2020-2021 school year to August, CHED Chairman De Vera said.
One unexpected result of such a move would be to bring the Philippines’ school year closer to that of the United States and many other countries, which open their school year in September. Ateneo has been opening its school year in August. Dela Salle has three regular trimesters, with the first one beginning in August. The University of the Philippines has long moved its opening of the school year from June to July; it might make a further adjustment because of the coronavirus situation this year.
As for the nation’s public schools – kindergarten, elementary, junior high school, and senior high school – the school year for them is due to start on June 1, according to an announcement made in February by Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla of the Department of Education.
But that was before the COVID-19 pandemic that has upset all areas of life as we know it. Republic Act 7977 provides that the school year shall start “on the first Monday of June but no later than the last day of August.” The nation’s colleges and universities have adjusted to the pandemic, at least this school year. The public schools might want to reconsider the earlier decision of a June opening.
