DAVAO CITY – The House of Representatives on Thursday night unanimously approved on third reading a bill allowing President Rodrigo Duterte to adjust the opening of classes during a state of emergency or calamity.
The House Bill 6895 was approved to amend Section 3 of Republic Act No. 7791 or the “act to lengthen the school calendar from 200 days to not more than 220 class days,” with 241 votes with no opposition or abstention.
The bill mandates that Duterte can set a different date for the start of the school year in the event of a declaration of a state of emergency or state of calamity, and, that the deferment of the start of the school year in such instances shall apply to “all basic education schools, including foreign or international schools”.
Once enacted into law, the measure authorizes the President, upon recommendation of the Secretary of Education, to set a different date for the start of the school year for the entire Philippines, or any part thereof, which is under a state of emergency, calamity, or similar occurrence.
RA 7797 originally mandates the Secretary of Education to set the start of the basic education school year between the first Monday of June and the last day of August.
This law shall also apply to all basic education schools, including foreign or international schools.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones in a statement earlier said classes will open on August 24, 2020. However, she said this does not mean elementary and high school students will physically return to schools.
Briones has earlier suggested to the President that classes can be conducted online until the government allows the reopening of school buildings, which were temporarily closed to mitigate the spread of coronavirus disease.-Newsline
