Shorter summer vacation for students set

MANILA, Philippines — Students may have a shorter summer vacation as the Department of Education (DepEd) has moved school activities originally scheduled for this month to March or April as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said her agency is complying with the guidelines set by the Department of Health, which has discouraged the holding of events that will gather large crowds.

Briones cited regional athletic competitions, which she said could easily draw up to 10,000 spectators. 

“Now, we postponed the February events, but we have rescheduled them for March and April,” the education chief said in a press briefing yesterday at Malacañang. 

“The various regions are having their regional athletic meets that will lead to the Palarong Pambansa, which is really the huge athletic event of the entire country. So, these are scheduled in March and April,” she added.

Asked in a chance interview whether the schedule adjustment would shorten the summer vacation of students, Briones replied: “Most likely because (students) were on forced vacation due to tragedies like (the eruption of) Taal Volcano.” 

Under the law, there has to be a specific number of days that teachers engage in face-to-face discussions with their students, according to the education chief. 

“So whether Chinese schools or public schools or local schools or other foreign schools, they have to comply with the requirements of the law. What they usually do is to have extension of classes,” Briones said.  

“But how they will extend classes, whether longer hours during the day or on Saturdays or on Sundays or however they do it, they will have to comply with what is required by the law,” she added. 

Briones, nevertheless, noted that agencies allow public events to take place as long as organizers take appropriate precautions. 

Briones: No illiteracy epidemic 

In the same briefing, Briones disputed reports claiming that more than 70,000 elementary pupils in Bicol cannot read in both English and Filipino.

The reports were based on data from the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory, which assessed students’ oral and silent reading skills and listening comprehension. 

“The 70,000 is somewhat exaggerated because it combined those who are having difficulties in Filipino and those having difficulties in English...Let us be careful in interpreting not only numbers, but aslo words themselves,” Briones said. 

The education chief said the phrase “do not know how to read” is different from “no read, no write” or illiterate. 

“There is epidemic of illiteracy, they are saying 70,000 learners in Bicol cannot read. But this has to be clarified: what do we mean by ‘cannot read’? If it’s ‘no read, no write,’ it’s not accurate,” she said, adding that such interpretation is an “insult” to Bicolanos. 

The DepEd, nevertheless, is working to improve the curriculum to enhance the skills of students, according to Briones.

The agency is expected to release its full report on the curriculum review by March 30.