DAVAO CITY, Philippines — Parents and teachers should expect make-up classes to fill up the number of holidays when classes were suspended.
But the Department of Education (DepEd) stressed that make-up classes need not be conducted only on Saturdays, it can come as class extension.
Joyce Andaya, DepEd Bureau of Curriculum Division Director however stressed “Make-up classes could be done by adding one to two hours per day in the class.”
Regional directors of the DepEd are encouraged to look into how many hours are needed in their respective areas.
During the school year 2017-2018 many holidays were declared either due to natural calamities such as typhoon or due to public movement like the transport strike and the recently concluded Association of SouthEast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit.
Class cancellations are often declared when typhoon hit a particular area in the country.
In most cases, the public holiday is decided by the national government and the local government units.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones said there are instances when there’s no typhoon signal but an LGU would declare class suspensions because of a flood in the area.
With the recent nationwide transport strike, the hosting of the 31st ASEAN Summit, and with the country being prone to typhoons, many schools have declared class cancellations.
Typhoon-belt areas in the countries often declare class cancellation for security reasons.
During those cancelled classes, Briones said “They (students) should have been in school, and they could have learned more.”
Briones herself believes, class cancellation is not good for students as it affect their psychological preparedness for the classes.
Marie Raquel feels the same way. “There were many days that my daughter experienced class cancellations due to typhoons. For weeks, she had to take make-up classes. Students, instead of being in school during those (days), had to catch up with the lessons,” she lamented.
In Davao City, make-up classes are also expected due to the two-day transport strike.
Joan Abakinta said her two grade school pupils were worried when the class were suspended “It seems they are not in favor that there will be interruptions in their classes and they even question why there are strikes,” she said in vernacular.
Abakinta however said, she is open to make up classes provided that it should not be weekends.
“Make up classes maybe in a way of class extension, like shortened breaks to make-up for the lost school hours,” she added.
In the far-flung areas of Mindanao, students should not be subjected to make-up classes during weekend because it will affect the economy of the family because many pupils go to school via hired motorbikes and they pay P50 ($1) for a two-way ride, which would mean a kilo of rice is sacrificed for every weekend make up classes.
Not only that, most of rural children help their parents on household chores during weekend while other help in the farm activity of their families, the family will be affected too.-Editha Z. Caduaya/Newsline.ph
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