Update On The Department Of Education School Calendar And Activities For School Year 2020-2021 with its Implementing Guidelines
Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
DepEd Order No.7, s. 2020
Released: May 11, 2020
SCHOOL CALENDAR AND ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021
To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Basic, Higher and Technical Education, BARMM
Minister,
Bureau and Service Directors
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Public and Private Elementary and Secondary School Heads
State/Local Universities and Colleges Heads
All Others Concerned
1. The unprecedented outbreak of COVID-19, which resulted in the implementation of various forms of community quarantine, has greatly affected the education system. While our united efforts in the past months against the COVID-19 pandemic are producing positive results, it is not yet fully contained, and our country and the world at large continue to face challenges brought about by this unforeseen health crisis.
2. The Department of Education (DepEd) is committed to ensure educational continuity amidst the challenges. Education must continue to give hope and stability, contribute to the normalization of activities in the country, facilitate development of our learners and bring normalcy to their lives, but health and safety of learners and school personnel arc of utmost importance and must be protected at all times.
3. After consultations and internal discussions, DepEd has reached a decision to set the opening of School Year (SY) 2020-2021 on August 24, 2020. However, the days in August prior to the formal school opening will be used to provide learners with assignments to explore foundational topics for deepening during the year, orientation on the utilization of alternative learning delivery modalities and corresponding learners’ materials, and mental health and psychosocial support activities. These pre-opening activities devoted to the attainment of the learning objectives for the school year shall be counted as class days. The school year will end on April 30, 2021.
4. The push back in the formal school opening by nearly three months from the traditional opening on the first Monday of June, is intended to afford DepEd enough time to undertake the necessary preparations in what will be an extraordinarily challenging school year.
5. School opening will not necessarily mean traditional face-to-face learning in classroom. The physical opening of schools will depend on the risk severity grading or classification of a locality, pursuant to guidelines of the Department of Health (DOH), the Intcr-Agcncy Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Philippines (IATF|, or the Office of the President (OP). Even in areas where schools are allowed to open, physical distancing will still be required, which will necessitate schools to combine face-to-face learning with distance learning.
6. Because of the compressed school year, the Secretary is authorizing the holding of Saturday classes, through the conduct of distance learning activities to be undertaken by learners, pursuant to Republic Act (RA) No. 7797. Should religious considerations prohibit these Saturday activities, they shall be undertaken on Sundays. In all, the total class days in the 2020-2021 school calendar will be 203 days.
7. The learning intervention for Alternative Learning System (ALS) shall also formally open on August 24, 2020, while the program duration will depend on the learner’s educational background or existing knowledge level prior to enrolling in the ALS program.
8. Private schools and state/local universities and colleges (SUCs/LUCs) offering basic education will be allowed to open classes within the period authorized by RA 7797, which is on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August, Provided.
a. No face-to-face classes will be allowed earlier than August 24, 2020, and from then on, face-to-face classes may be conducted only in areas allowed to open physically.
b. They submit in advance the following documents to the DepEd Regional
Offices (ROs) for review and monitoring purposes:
i. Their school’s plan for compliance with minimum health standards that will be issued by DepEd, consistent with guidelines of the DOH, the IATF, and the OP;
ii. Their school’s Learning Continuity Plan showing alternative delivery modes of learning when face-to-face learning is not allowed, which shall constitute compliance with the requirement provided under Item 6 of Annex 3, DepEd Order No. 021, s. 2019; and
iii. Their school’s SY 2020-2021 School Calendar.
9. The Implementing Guidelines on the School Calendar and Activities for SY 2020-2021 are provided herein (Enclosure No. 1) to enable the schools and community learning centers (CLCs) to effectively and efficiently implement the school events and activities. Likewise, the guidelines shall allow the ROs and the schools division offices (SDOs) to provide support to schools and CLCs, particularly in the areas of instruction and progress monitoring and evaluation.
10. Schools and CLCs may observe national and local celebrations other than those indicated in Enclosure Nos. 2 and 3, provided that these are beneficial to the learners. In this regard, ROs may issue a supplemental calendar to reflect their local events. The significance of these celebrations may be integrated in the day’s learning activity.
11. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order are directed.
Signed:
LEONOR MAGTOLIS BRIONES
Secretary
DepEd Order No.7, s. 2020
Released: May 11, 2020
SCHOOL CALENDAR AND ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021
