Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 29) — The Department of Education said there are no plans at the moment to revert to the previous calendar followed by schools. The agency gave this response after Sen. Win Gatchalian’s call for schools to go back to the June-to-March calendar to give students reprieve from the summer heat.
\”At the moment, there are no plans to revert. As mentioned in a previous statement, school heads have the discretion to suspend in-person classes and immediately switch to ADM (alternative delivery mode) or blended learning if the environment is not conducive to learning,\” DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said on Wednesday.
Gatchalian also commented on the surprise fire drill incident in Laguna where several students were taken to the hospital after showing signs of heat exhaustion.
“Mag-ingat lang dahil napakainit at wag tayong gagawa ng mga bagay na malalagay sa delikado ang mga bata natin dahil ‘yung mga ganitong init hindi natin alam kung may mga ibang sakit pa ‘yung iba dyan, baka may mangyari pa,” he said.
[Translation: They should take caution because it’s too hot and we should not do things that could put the kids in danger.]
Gatchalian added the adjustment of the school calendar was done in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Because of the lockdown na-push ‘yan nang na-push [it kept getting pushed back] but it’s time to bring it back especially now that it’s normal already,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers NCR Union (ACT NCR Union) said majority of teachers in Metro Manila have reported students are unable to focus on lessons due to the \”intolerable heat in classrooms.\”
\”Furthermore, 37% of respondents said that the summer heat triggered the existing medical conditions of teachers and students, and 40% noted that more learners have been missing classes since the summer months started,\” the group said in a statement on Wednesday.
They added very few classrooms are equipped to handle the heat.
\”The heavy reliance on electric fans for ventilation is insufficient, as only 1% of classrooms have air conditioners and 2% rely on natural ventilation. Moreover, only 0.5% of respondents deem their classroom conditions as pleasant, while 67% noted that the heat is intolerable,\” they said.
The group is also calling on the DepEd to address concerns ensuring the safety and well-being of students, saying they cannot fulfill their mandate if students are suffering from the \”harsh summer heat.\”
