With reports from Lea Regina Dulay and Rojean Grace Patumbon/UM Interns
THE OFFICIAL start of the school year 2023-2024 for public school will be on Aug. 28, 2023, and ends on June 28 next year.
Jeniellito Atillo, the Department of Education XI spokesperson, revealed that the school year will translate to 206 days per Republic Act 11480, which amended Section 3 of RA No. 7797, or “An act to lengthen the school calendar from 200 days to not more than 220 days class days”.
The official school year was also affirmed by DepEd Memorandum 034 series of 2022 issued on July 11, 2022, Atillo said during the AFP-PNP press briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Wednesday, June 14.
Regional public schools will have their recognition, moving-up ceremony, and graduation from July 10-14 since this year’s classes will conclude on July 7.
Meanwhile, private schools are not mandated to follow the DepEd’s directive. They are subjected to one-week leeway before and after classes start and end, so long as they submit their school calendar to DepEd for approval.
Atillo admitted that some parents expressed concerns with the little window between the end and opening of classes since students need more time to rest.
“We have to really respond appropriately [because] there is a law that we have to strictly follow. There is this provision of the law na dapat ang (that requires the) number of school days will not be [less] than 200 days, so if we will not respond to that, therefore, we would be starting [on a] very negative footing,” Atillo said.
