AY 2022-2023 may open earlier depending on pandemic situation –DepEd

The Department of Education (DepEd) on Sunday floated the possibility of the Academic Year (AY) 2022-2023 opening earlier if the COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country continued to improve.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB on Thursday, DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said that the next administration would make the necessary adjustments as to when the next school year would start.

“As you know, there will also be an impending transition already of leadership of the DepEd. We will be making our recommendations and the plans based on our decisions. But I suppose that the next administration might still make adjustments to that,” he said.

“But, posibleng mas mapaaga lalo na kung tuloy-tuloy itong positive development natin sa COVID outlook,” he added.

(It may happen earlier especially if this positive development in the COVID outlook continues.)

Malaluan noted that the calendar for AY 2022-2023 would be outlined by May or June, subject to the possible adjustments of the incoming administration.

Academic Year 2021-2022 started late on September 13, 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At least 25 million students enrolled for that school year, according to DepEd.

Malaluan reiterated that in-person graduation ceremonies for the AY 2021-2022 may be allowed if eased COVID-19 restrictions continued.

“That’s a possibility. Medyo hindi pa naman ngayon ‘yan, sa Hunyo pa ‘yan,” he said.

(This is not urgent as it is still in June.)

Progressive expansion

Moreover, Malaluan noted that there were 6,925 schools all over the country ready to participate in the “progressive expansion” phase of face-to-face classes amid the pandemic.

Of this number, 6,122 schools have already resumed limited in-person classes.

This is an increase from the 4,295 schools recorded on Wednesday, as reported by Education Secretary Leonor Briones.

In February, DepEd authorized all regional directors to begin the “progressive expansion” phase of face-to-face classes for both public and private schools, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval of the department's recommendation to expand face-to-face classes in areas under Alert Level 2 and below.

The pilot testing of face-to-face classes in the country started in November 2021 for both public and private schools. The pilot test was subject to strict health protocols.

Malaluan said that the DepEd so far had not recorded any COVID-19 infections in schools conducting physical classes.

“During our pilot phase, wala kaming incidents na confirmed na positive for COVID. Ngayon wala pa rin kami ngayon sa expanded phase na report on that so far,” he said.

(During our pilot phase, there were no confirmed incidents of those testing positive for COVID-19. Now in the expanded phase, there are still no reports on that so far.)

Asked if there were parents who still would not permit their children to attend physical classes, Malaluan said, “Both the pilot at saka ngayon ay napakaliit na bahagi kung meron man (there is only a small percentage). Even during the pilot mataas ‘yung support ng mga magulang (a lot of parents supported the move).

"The pilot phase that we were able to conduct successfully has increased the level of confidence of the entire community,” he emphasized. — DVM, GMA News