MANILA — There will be adjustments in the school calendar of students whose distance-learning activities were disrupted by the onslaught of recent typhoons, the Department of Education said Tuesday.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said parents and teachers would be in talks over the conduct of makeup classes.

"Tinitingnan natin yong calendar. 'Yong calendar of activities, ina-adjust 'yon," Briones said in Palace briefing when asked about the "catch-up plan" for students following recent class suspensions.

(We look at the calendar. The calendar of activities can be adjusted.)

"Magde-debate ang parents, teachers, kung mayroon bang Saturday classes, Sunday classes, extension classes para maka-make up at makahabol iyong mga bata," she added.

(Parents and teachers will debate whether there will be Saturday classes, Sunday classes, extension classes so students can catch up.)

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Briones said the "catch-up plans" are not new as these had been implemented in the aftermath of past class disruptions.

"Ginagawa naman natin 'yan taon-taon tuwing mayroong sakuna, whether natural or otherwise," she said.

(We do that every year whenever there's a disaster, whether natural or otherwise.)

The education chief also said the DepEd was in talks with student groups over their calls for an "academic ease" or reducing academic requirements.

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Local government units and DepEd field offices have suspended distance-learning activities in parts of the country, mainly in Luzon, after their areas were battered by a series of strong storms in the past weeks.

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In Marikina, Mayor Marcelino Teodoro suspended classes until December 16 even though the first quarter in basic education is scheduled to end on December 12.

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DepEd-National Capital Region director Malcolm Garma earlier said discussions on the catch-up plan for Marikina schools are underway.