The Schools Division Office (SDO) of Manila has released a memorandum ordering public schools to conduct classes only from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. until next month amid the scorching heat being felt in the country.
The division memorandum dated April 8 and signed by SDO Manila’s chief education supervisor, Nerissa Lomeda, stated that all public schools in Manila City shall implement the adjusted class schedule from April 11 to May 28, 2024.
This was “in view of the onset of summer season where dangerous level of heat index is expected.”
The SDO said that the unified implementation scheme was an offshoot of the consultative meetings held with various education stakeholders, “in careful consideration” of all the related issuances by the Department of Education (DepEd).
DepEd Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas earlier said that regional directors and superintendents have the authority to move class schedules to early morning or late afternoon due to the intolerable heat in some schools.
He also said that outdoor activities may be omitted between 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. to prevent students from having direct exposure to sun.
In Manila’s case, public school district supervisors were engaged to provide technical assistants to schools to come up with re-programmed class schedules, including but not limited to blended modality.
Teachers are also still required to report to school, regardless of the implemented modality, to conduct online teaching, prepare activity sheets, check and record learners’ output, monitor learners’ progress, or fulfill year-end tasks.
DepEd has given school heads the authority to decide on their own if face-to-face classes need to be suspended in their respective schools due to hot temperatures aggravated by the El Niño phenomenon.
Students and teachers could also wear more comfortable clothing in schools—which is subject to dress codes—in an effort to counter the heat.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said Monday that there is no need for schools to implement make-up classes after face-to-face classes were suspended in some areas in the past few days due to the hot weather. —Giselle Ombay/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
