'Santi' sets back makeup classes, DepEd exec admits

The suspension of classes caused by Typhoon Santi (Mirinae) in Metro Manila Friday has prompted the Department of Education to schedule more makeup classes at the elementary and high school levels. But DepEd Metro Manila director Teresita Domalanta reassured students that the Christmas vacation will not be sacrificed in trying to catch up with this year's school calendar. "(Para) mapunuan ang araw na contact days, talagang magkaklase sila ngayon. Ang iba walang sembreak. Ngayon na suspended, papalitan uli ito (In a bid to make up for forced class suspensions in past weeks, we have had to schedule makeup classes, including scrapping the semestral break. But now that classes are suspended, we have to make more changes to our schedule)," Domalanta said in an interview on dwIZ radio. She said elementary and high school students have already been attending makeup classes scheduled on Saturdays and even Sundays to catch up with this year’s school calendar. For School Year 2009-2010 from June 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010, there will be 204 class days, according to DepEd Department Order 25 last March 20.

The Christmas break will be from December 19, 2009 to January 3, 2010, with students going back to class on January 4, according to Department Order 25. But Domalanta noted the devastation caused by recent tropical cyclones including Ondoy (Ketsana), had forced elementary and high school students to take a long vacation. "Dapat itong week na ito sembreak nila pero maraming walang sembreak, nagkaklase para mapunuan ang nasuspinde na araw ng pagpasok (This week is supposed to be their semestral break. But we scrapped that just so they can have makeup classes and we can catch up with our school calendar)," she said. Still, Domalanta assured students the DepEd will not touch the Christmas vacation. "Di po, di mata-touch ang Pasko definitely. Di natin pwede kunin ito. Sabi ni Sec, ang Christmas napakahalaga so ito siguro ang spare na gagamitin. Tuloy ang Christmas vacation natin (The Christmas vacation is untouchable. Secretary Jesli Lapus himself said Christmas is an important occasion so we will spare this from our rescheduling. So the Christmas vacation will push through as scheduled)," she said. - GMANews.TV