In order to allow teachers more time to recover, a group of educators requested that Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte extend the start of courses to the middle of September or the first week of October.
On Friday, the Department of Health (DOH) endorsed the full adoption of in-person instruction, but requested that the Department of Education (DepEd) create “a safe atmosphere” for students and teachers.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) demanded extra time for relaxation, nevertheless.
According to TDC national chair Benjo Basas, a teacher in Caloocan City, “From the very start, we teachers are entitled to two months of vacation to give us time to rest physically, emotionally and mentally. Unlike other workers, teachers don’t have sick or vacation leaves.”
The official school schedule for the 2022–2023 academic year has not yet been released by DepEd, but the former DepEd administration suggested that classes start on August 22 during the July 4 ceremony marking their transition.
According to DepEd Order No. 29, series of 21, the school year 2021–2022 should have concluded on June 24, but according to Basas, teachers were still required to plan end-of-year ceremonies until July 2. From July 4 to August 12, they must also teach remedial and enrichment sessions to pupils who obtained failing grades. Should schools resume on August 22, this would give some teachers a 10-day break.
“Until now, the work of teachers in schools is not yet finished,” Basas said. “We need to read forms and prepare documents for performance rating. And in the coming weeks until August, teachers should attend in-service training, Brigada Eskwela, and other back-to-school and enrollment activities.”
Teachers will still spend a significant portion of their free time working, according to TDC, even if the start of the new school year is pushed back to September.
Prior to this, President Marcos stated that all schools should offer in-person classes by November and that they should begin in September.
Marcos claimed that during Tuesday’s inaugural Cabinet meeting in Malacaang, Duterte explained this strategy.
Basas said, “We are hopeful that the President will consider extending the school break to give teachers more time to rest and to allow us to have more time to prepare for the start of the school year, especially that we are now returning to full face-to-face classes.”
