DepEd targets August 29 as school opening date for SY 2023-2024

DepEd targets August 29 as school opening date for SY 2023-2024

The Department of Education (DepEd) is already preparing for the upcoming School Year (SY) 2023-2024 and is eyeing August 29 as the official start date for public schools.

DepEd Undersecretary and Spokesperson Michael Poa revealed this information in an interview on July 26, emphasizing that the date is tentative until the DepEd Order is officially signed.

Initially, DepEd had considered August 28 as the start of classes, but it coincides with the National Heroes' Day holiday, prompting the department to opt for the following day.

DepEd is working on a comprehensive set of guidelines for the new school year, including important aspects such as the "Brigada Eskwela" and the school calendar. Poa mentioned that certain adjustments had been made concerning the participation of teachers in activities, particularly end-of-school-year rites, to address concerns raised by some teachers who were asked to report to school before the official graduation ceremonies, even when these events were not part of the school calendar.

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Reflecting on the previous school year, SY 2022-2023 commenced on August 22, 2022, and over 28 million students returned to public schools, marking two years since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Public schools implemented distance/blended learning and five-day in-person classes for the first three months. However, on November 2, 2023, DepEd transitioned to 100 percent face-to-face classes across all public schools.

The shift to distance learning during SY 2020-2021 and SY 2021-2022 was a response to the Covid-19 threat, during which students learned from home using various learning delivery methods, such as printed/offline modular materials, online platforms, radio and television-based instruction, and blended learning.

As the new school year approaches, DepEd is committed to ensuring a safe and effective learning environment, considering the evolving situation of the pandemic.