Teacher groups call for an academic break

On Wednesday, Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) and the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines expressed support to the growing calls to implement academic break in light of the pandemic and recent typhoons.

TDC National Chairperson Benjo Basas said that the implementation of an academic break will greatly help students whose families were adversely affected by the recent typhoons that hit the country.

Meanwhile, DepEd has implemented an academic ease, where students are given flexible time to submit requirements, said DepEd Undersecretary Tonisito Umali.

Di po tayo ngayon mahigpit na nagpapatupad ng requirements sa mga bata nang makasabay at matugunan po itong mga pangangailangan na ito,

he said.

As for TDC, the academic ease being pushed by the Department of Education (DepEd) is not enough because there are many school work being required from students that need the guidance from their parents. They said that it not practical at this time because those who were affected by typhoons and floods have yet to recover.

TDC is hoping that DepEd will consider an academic break particularly for the basic educational level until Nov. 30.

Meantime, more than 1,000 schools in various regions were damaged by the typhoons as of Nov. 15, Umali said.

Some 448 schools in Bicol were destroyed following Super Typhoon Rolly's onslaught earlier this month, followed by 412 schools in Central Luzon, 121 schools in Calabarzon, 91 in Cagayan Valley, 53 in Ilocos region, 41 in the Cordilleras, 15 in Mimaropa and 9 in Metro Manila.

Some 430 schools with 14,000 classrooms are housing 1,935 families as evacuation centers, he added.