Public school classes for school year 2021 to 2022 could start in September, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Thursday.
The DepEd previously proposed Aug. 23 as the opening of the next school year.
The Aug. 23 opening of classes would be in accordance with the law, which states that the school calendar should start in the month of August.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones said that Duterte would make the final decision on when classes would start.
“Last year, nagbigay kami ng three choices sa presidente. Hindi naman na sabihin lang natin na dapat magbukas ka sa ganitong date, kailangan may choice naman dahil siya ang magde-decide. Bibigyan namin siya ng tatlong choices,” she said in a Laging Handa briefing.
The two other choices are the first week and the second week of September, Briones said.
In July, Duterte signed Republic Act 11480, which allows the chief executive to set at any date the opening of classes in case of a state of calamity or emergency.
In 2020, classes in public schools opened in the month of October. John Ezekiel J. Hirro