THE PREVIOUS academic year in the Philippines saw the suspension of in-person classes due to unusually hot weather, intensified by the El Niño phenomenon.

Several local government units (LGUs) in the country issued orders suspending classes to protect students, teachers and school personnel from the extreme heat that posed risks to their well-being.

The public was warned that prolonged exposure to dangerous levels of heat could cause heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion, heat syncope, and heatstroke that could lead to death if not treated or prevented early.

The unbearable heat also took a toll on the mental health of many students, affecting their productivity in school, daily routines at home, and relationships with their family and friends.

While several learners suggested the schools consider blended learning, others clamored for an immediate return to the old school calendar.

PH gov’t heeds

This public clamor was heard by the national government, with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. approving the gradual return to the old academic calendar, where classes will begin in June and end in April.

In a press release from the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on May 22, the gradual return to the old academic year will take effect starting next year. Meanwhile, the opening of classes for the school year 2024-2025 is scheduled on July 29 and will end on April 15, 2025.

Vice President and then Education Secretary Sara Duterte previously presented two options to the chief executive on how the school calendar shift would go about, with both options ending on March 31, 2025.

The first option would have 182 school days with 15 face-to-face classes on Saturdays, but Marcos said that traveling to school on weekends would put the students’ well-being at risk. 

He also did not approve the second option which would have 167 school days with no in-person classes, saying it was “too short” and could affect learning outcomes.

The country’s school year usually starts in June and ends in March but this changes at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, students and teachers had to adapt to new learning modalities–including online learning–to ensure that education continues amidst the pandemic.

Last year, Marcos lifted the nationwide state of public health emergency due to COVID-19, ending strict mobility restrictions and health protocols. However, the country did not immediately revert to the traditional school calendar after this.

For the school year 2023-2024, the Department of Education (DepEd) set the opening of classes on August 29, 2023. It was supposed to end on June 14 but the DepEd moved it to May 31, while the school break started on July 1 and will end on July 26.

Students’ thumbs-up

The move to revert to the old academic year was welcomed by several senior high school (SHS) students, saying they were happy with the government’s decision despite the adjustments they would have to make for the school calendar shift.

Though some issues may arise–such as scheduling conflicts and possibilities of lapses in learning–they were confident they would manage to go through the changes.

Limuel Simbillo, an SHS student, told republicasia that he preferred reverting to the old school calendar since Filipinos have become accustomed to taking vacations in the months of April and May.

He also noted that most Filipinos have grown confused with the changing schedule and that the shift to the old calendar would not be difficult given that it’s something that Filipinos have already experienced.

Gabriela Lois Lao, also an SHS student, shared his thoughts.

“I prefer beginning in June because nowadays, it’s so hard to focus in this heat, and [it’s] even worse when the air conditioning is not working properly,” he said, “Why isn’t it summer in this summer heat?”

He added that if they were to bring back the old schedule for the school year, summer would actually feel like summer, students wouldn’t be sweating too much in school, and classes wouldn’t have to be suspended due to people facing possible heatstroke.

Lao noted that in going back to the old curriculum, it is important that government and academic institutions make an easy transition by educating teachers and students about any gaps they may have in their knowledge.

He said: “There could be some students who could be academically challenged during the transition, so maybe student counselors could help with that.”

Teachers, parents approve

Laurie Ann Lopez Ignacio, a mother of three kids, also said that she was in favor of reverting to the old school calendar. She explained that summertime was meant to be for the students’ summer vacation. 

Thankfully, as her children are studying in private school, they weren’t that affected by El Niño’s high temperatures. 

On the other hand, Richard Ayson, principal of the Angeles Elementary School in Angeles City, recalled how students and teachers have been suffering following the change in the school calendar. 

In the months of April and May, he noticed that students and teachers had difficulty dealing with the extreme heat brought on by the summer season, with the school’s facilities unable to keep up with the hot weather.

He noted that those problems only arose during the dry season, with some challenges being a lack of focus from learners during discussions, a rise in absences from learners due to illness, as well as shortened class hours, all during the extreme heat in April and May. 

These problems are why he agreed with the decision to revert to the old academic calendar, as this would lead to fewer classes suspended, increased focus due to favorable weather, and a decrease in suffering from illness caused by the heat.

The only possible disadvantages are the adjustments for learners and academic institutions, as well as the implementation of shortened academic years during its first year.

In dealing with this change, Ayson explained that as the school calendar adjusts, school activities will follow, as will the school improvement plan. 

Recommendations for schools, gov’t

Instead of focusing solely on adjusting the school calendar, academic institutions need to consider how to teach their students effectively despite the changes.

How can this be done? Ignacio emphasized the importance of hiring efficient and intelligent professors to teach their students – ones who truly know what they are doing and are dedicated to helping their students learn in the best ways possible. 

She explained: “Climate does not affect students with the knowledge they are supposed to know, [so] teach them more to help them more.”

The consensus between these people regarding this change? Of course, they’ll be able to adjust, but they will need help from government and academic institutions to get used to the change. 

To alleviate the stress felt by the schools, Ayson recommended that the government hire additional non-teaching staff to handle non-teaching-related tasks. 

“With all the projects, programs, and activities the department wishes to implement, the people who will spearhead these tasks are not enough,” he explained.

“Let the teachers perform their primary roles: to teach better.”