With the aim of preventing the continued disruption of students’ learning due to frequent class suspensions.
Under a proposed Executive Order (EO), the Department of Education (DepEd) is looking advance new guidelines on the prompt resumption of classes at the school level after disasters and severe weather.
The proposal aims to update Executive Order No. 66, s. 2012 which focuses on the automatic and local suspension of classes and work in government offices during disasters and inclement weather.
The draft will also have criteria for suspension and resumption of classes for various types of disasters such as extreme heat, earthquakes, power outages, and poor air quality.
Under which, individual schools that remain safe or are rapidly recovering from an emergency will be allowed to implement in-person classes, even if a general suspension is still in effect in the entire city or municipality through a granular class resumption notice.
Although, such a move will require the approval of the local government unit (LGU) and adequate documentation of the safety of the facility.
In addition, school heads are also empowered under DepEd Order No. 22, s. 2024 to suspend classes in the event of localized hazards such as flooding around the campus or power outages, with the approval of their Schools Division Superintendent (SDS).
To ensure prompt and fact-based decisions, LGUs and Schools Division Offices will have a one-hour window to act on the submitted school safety assessment.
According to Education Secretary Sonny Angara, blanket class suspensions are seriously affecting basic education. Hence, for him, more specific and appropriate measures are needed to balance safety and the continuity of learning.
“[W]e need a policy that reflects ground realities,” Angara said in a statement. “While safety will always remain our non-negotiable priority, we can no longer rely on broad, blanket suspensions where an entire city shuts down even when individual campuses are dry, safe, and ready to teach.”
The Education chief also noted that in School Year 2023–2024, up to 53 days of instruction were lost in public schools due to weather disruptions and other disruptions.
“If a school is clear, accessible, and certified safe, our learners should be back in the classroom without delay,” he stressed.
The DepEd also expressed its hopes that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will approve the proposed EO before the end of the year to ensure the continuity of basic education.
This proposal, according to the agency, was made following extensive consultations nationwide with local leaders, schools division superintendents, school heads, teachers, parents, and students who showed broad support for the decisions based on the actual situation in each area.
During the consultations, the LGUs received the said framework positively due to its direct collaboration with local leaders with responsibility for community safety.
Meanwhile, parents and teachers emphasized the importance of prompt announcements, clear safety assessments, and proper distance learning protocols when there are disruptions in class.
The consultations also affirmed the importance of collective responsibility, strong coordination between LGUs and SDOs, clear criteria, timely announcements, and safety assessments before the return of face-to-face classes.
