The Philippine Star

DepEd studying proposal for early Christmas break

- By JANVIC MATEO

The Department of Education (DepEd) yesterday said it is seriously studying a proposal by Sen. Grace Poe to implement the Christmas break two weeks earlier than scheduled to ease traffic during the holiday rush, particular­ly in Metro Manila.

DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali said they have yet to receive official communicat­ion regarding Poe’s proposal and that several factors have to be considered.

The DepEd order covering the schedule of classes in public school allots 202 days for the current academic year.

Umali said the rules require 180 days of contact between teacher and students, giving the school year 22 buffer days to accommodat­e class suspension­s due to inclement weather.

He said the proposal for an earlier Christmas break, originally from Dec. 22 to Jan 1, would require DepEd to adjust the calendar and hold additional classes.

With the adjustment, the official said the calendar may extend beyond the original end of class schedule on April 7.

“But we have the Holy Week,” he said, adding that they also have to consider the summer school schedule.

A third periodical examinatio­n is scheduled on the third week of January, and implementi­ng an earlier Christmas break would mean that they have to move it to a later date due to lack of time to cover the required lessons.

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