Are schools ready for SY 2023-2024? Gatchalian wants Senate probe

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is seeking a Senate inquiry to determine if basic education institutions are ready to conduct classes for School Year 2023-2024.

In filing the proposed Senate Resolution No. 689, Gatchalian is hoping the probe will shed light on how schools are preparing for classes with the lifting of the public health emergency due to COVID-19 and the threat of the El Niño phenomenon.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, also noted that the shift in the school calendar has shortened the school break to 51 days, from July 8 to August 27 this year. Remedial classes will be conducted in public schools during the break, from July 17 to August 26.

The proposed resolution also seeks to have an immediate assessment of the effectiveness and challenges of conducting face-to-face classes and alternative learning methods.

The public clamor for the return of the school break to the former schedule of April to May will also be taken into consideration.

School year 2023-2024 will start on August 28, 2023 and end on June 28, 2024, as per the Department of Education's (DepEd) Department Order (DO) No. 034 s. 2022.

DepEd earlier announced it was considering to have the first day of classes on August 29 instead of August 28. The department said it is still finalizing the DO for School Year 2023-2024.

“Sa gitna na patuloy na pagbangon mula sa pandemya at pagbabalik sa normal ng sektor ng edukasyon, napapanahong suriin natin ang kahandaan ng ating mga paaralan para sa patuloy na paghahatid ng edukasyon. Dahil nagpapatuloy pa rin ang mga hamon at pinsalang dulot ng pandemya, mahalagang matukoy natin kung paano natin tutugunan ang mga ito,” Gatchalian said.

(In the middle of our recovery from the pandemic and the education sector's going back to normal operations, it is timely to check if our schools are ready. The threat and effects of the pandemic still exist, thus it is important that we find ways to address the challenges.) —KG, GMA Integrated News