PH, the last country to open classes in SEA

Countries around the world are wrestling over how to reopen schools, after the coronavirus pandemic led to a closure of many schools and forced students to stay at home. The education sector of each country decided to moved its regular school year opening to protect the learners while each government look for solutions to the health crisis.

Photo credit: tribune.net.ph

Philippines, also moved its academic year opening to August 24 but then rescheduled to October 5 to give the Department of Education (DepEd) ample time to prepare. With this, the Philippines now is the last country in Southeast Asia to open classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Brunei, Timor-Leste, Laos, and Singapore opened schools in June; Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand opened in July; Cambodia opened in August; and Vietnam resumed classes in May and will open the new term in September.

Department of Education Secretary Leonor Briones had earlier said that after the postponement of the August 24 school opening, the Philippines may have become the last country to resume classes after the coronavirus hits early this year. 

The regular opening of School Year (SY) 2020-2021 in the country is June. However, DepEd decided to delay it for three months to prepare for the transition to distance or remote learning. And, on August 14 the agency announced that the school opening has been moved to October 5 as directed by President Duterte.

Briones noted that as early as May, neighboring countries have resumed classes despite the health crisis. Among Southeast Asian countries, Briones said that Philippines and Cambodia have the same schedule if the country pushed through to August schedule. But, Briones said that moving the schedule has given the department more opportunities to face and address challenges that the public has been warning.

Briones said that in the whole world, Kenya was the only country that will open classes next year.

Kung magbubukas tayo next year, magiging classmate natin ang bansang Kenya na kaisa-isang bansa na naiiwan nagsasabi na next year pa sila magbubukas,

she said.

[If we are to open classes next year, we will be classmates with the country Kenya which is the only country that is being left behind saying they will open next year,]

The department had been firm to open classes this year.

For us, in DepEd, our battlecry has been ‘education must continue’ because we cannot sacrifice the teaching, the learning of the students, 

Briones said. 

In spite of the pandemic, in spite of the downturn in economy which are the ‘twin challenges’ in education, we are moving forward because these are gradually being placed under control,

she added.