DepEd sets June 5 school opening

MANILA, Philippines - Classes in public elementary, junior and senior high schools will open on June 5, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali said the school opening in public schools would be on the first Monday of June.

Private schools are allowed to determine their respective schedules for the opening of the school year anytime between June and August.

Earlier, DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones ordered the conduct of Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) and the establishment of public assistance stations (PAS) from May 29 to June 16 to ensure the smooth opening of classes.

“The OBE and PAS aim to address the problems usually encountered during the school opening to ensure that students are properly enrolled and able to attend the first day of classes,” Briones said in a memorandum.

The DepEd will coordinate with government and non-government agencies that form part of the OBE inter-agency task force, including the Departments of Energy, Interior and Local Government, Health, National Defense, Public Works and Highways, Social Welfare and Development and Trade and Industry.

Also part of the task force are the Manila Electric Company, Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Office of Civil Defense, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration and the Philippine National Police.

The task force will have a meeting on May 19. A command conference among DepEd officials and partner agencies will be held on May 30.

Starting May 27, an information and action center will be established at the DepEd central office in Pasig City to serve as information and complaints processing and routing zone.

Local information centers will also be set up across the country.

Briones designated Undersecretary for planning and field operations Jesus Mateo and Assistant Secretary for public affairs G.H. Ambat as co-chairmen for OBE 2017.

Around 25 million students are expected to return to school this June, including Grade 12 students who will be the first batch of graduates of the senior high school program.