President Rodrigo Duterte has signed a new law that grants the chief executive power to move or reschedule the beginning of the school year during a state of emergency or calamity.
Implemented as Republic Act No. 11480, the measure was signed by the president last July 17 and was formally announced to the public today, July 20.
The new law amends Republic Act 7797, which states that the school year is mandated to open between the first Monday of June until the last day of August.
As an additional clause, the new law states, “The school year shall start on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August. Provided, that in the event of a declaration of a state of emergency or state of calamity, the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Education, may set a different date for the start of the school year in the country or parts thereof.”
JUST IN: President Duterte signs RA 11480 allowing him to set a different date for the start of the school year for basic education during a state of emergency or state of calamity. | @JMAurelioINQ @KAguilarINQ pic.twitter.com/ZkZ4VjArxn
— Inquirer (@inquirerdotnet) July 20, 2020
The decision regarding the end of the school year will then be in the hands of the secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd). This will be determined while “taking into considerations the Christmas and summer vacations, and the peculiar circumstances in each region.”
The DepEd secretary may also authorize Saturday classes for elementary and high school students in both public and private schools.
[READ: Saturday online classes eyed if ever school year opens August—DepEd]
While the President has strongly expressed his disapproval of opening classes while a vaccine against COVID-19 is still unavailable, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said on a virtual presser today, July 20 that classes will still begin on Aug. 24 unless the education secretary recommends a new date in light of the recently signed Republic Act No. 11480. Roque also said that the president will make his decision on the opening of classes based on the recommendation of DepEd.
Header photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash
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