DepEd pushes for academic ease; rejects academic break

On Tuesday, April 13, the Department of Education said that an academic break won’t be needed despite the sudden increase of COVID-19 cases in the country. The agency will instead push for an academic ease, which it currently implements, that will require students lesser and stricter policies.

Iyong palaging sinasabing academic break ay panawagan ng mga kabataan, pero tayo sa Kagawaran ng Edukasyon ay mayroon tayong sinasabing academic ease… Naniniwala po kami na hindi naman kailangang itigil ang pagkatuto, ang kailangan ay mas maging considerate tayo sa mga sitwasyon ng bawat bata,

Undersecretary Diosdado San Antonio said in a briefing.

He also said that DepEd had already asked teachers to be more lenient and flexible with giving deadlines on the submission of requirements and be more understanding on the students’ situation as they face the difficulties of distance learning brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Printed self-learning materials will be available for students who will not have access to internet or don’t have gadgets to use in the distance learning as San Antonio emphasized that these reasons are not a concern to suspend classes.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture also disagrees with the nationwide academic break.

Previously, the DepEd adjusted its calendar for school year (SY) 2020-2021, extending it by moving the last day of classes from June to July. The agency said that such adjustments were made to address learning gaps and give teachers more time to prepare materials for distance learning.