MANILA - The Department of Education on Monday said students will not have to attend online classes if their schools suspended their in-person classes due to bad weather.

DepEd spokesperson Undersecretary Michael Poa made the remarks after the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) called the supposed decision by the DepEd to hold online classes during calamities as “unjust”, “inhumane” and “insensitive” to the situation of learners and their families.

Poa explained that once there is suspension of on-site classes, online classes are likewise suspended.

“So wala po tayong pinapa-online classes during typhoons o ano mang calamities. Part po iyan ng Deped Order 37 na ang suspension ay both in-person and online classes,” Poa told reporters.

“Iyong sinasabi po nating no learning disruption, is we switch our learners doon sa tinatawag nating alternative delivery modes,” he added.

Alternative delivery modes include answering modules, Poa said.

But even with that, students will not be forced to finish them if their conditions will not permit them to do so.

“Iyong alternative delivery modes ay siyempre nirerequire lang po natin hanggang kaya nila kapag sila nababaha na sa bahay, o sila ay nabibiktima na ng bagyo siyempre po we are not requiring them to really complete their alternative delivery modes or modules kasi po ang priority natin ay kapakanan at kaligtasan ng ating mga learners at ating mga teachers,” Poa explained.

The DepEd also reminded public schools that they have the authority to “switch” learning modes from on-site classes to alternative learning methods, depending on the assessment of their situations.

SCHOOL OPENING:

The date of the opening of school year 2023-2024 will most likely be in the last week of August, Poa said, but the actual date is still being finalized by DepEd.

Following the recommendations from various sectors and lawmakers, DepEd has tapped a third party to help them assess if it would be better to revert to the old school calendar.

However, it will not be possible to implement it immediately this coming school year, Poa explained.

“I am really expecting it, probably in the next 2-3 weeks makuha natin iyong resulta ng study para makapagdecide na tayo. But as we said, it will entail a transition period hindi siya abruptly. It will have to take a few years bago maibalik natin,” Poa said.

“Kung ibabalik natin we have to reduce slowly iyong days sa school calendar to accommodate iyong shift natin,” he added.

Calls to revert to the school calendar were made after learners and teachers experienced extreme heat during the dry season.

NATIONAL LEARNING CAMPS:
For the National Learning Camps (NLC), DepEd said so far that only 27% of Grades 7 and 8 students have registered for the program.

“Iyong datos sa ngayon is not as actual as want it to be kasi nagkaroon tayo ng mga bagyo, so may mga hindi na nakapasok sa linggo na ito,” Poa said.

“Pwede hindi tumuloy iyong mga nagregister o pwede hindi nagregister pero nag-attend ng learning camp kasi ongoing pa rin iyan kasi tinatanggap pa rin natin sila. So antabayan na lang po natin by Friday, we plan to give an updated data kung ano ang turnout natin,” he added.

NLC is a program of DepEd during the “school break” or from July 24 to August 25 to supposedly address the learning losses and gaps due to the 2-year pandemic period where blended learning and other forms of alternative learning methods were employed in schools.

It has been piloted for Grades 7 and 8, focusing on English, Math and Science subjects.

• DepEd releases new class suspension guidelines during calamities