MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday, February 20, announced that schools are gradually transitioning to the old academic calendar, where classes begin in June and go on break from April to May.

The gradual transition will officially begin in academic year 2024 to 2025, with school opening on July 29 and end of school year on May 16, 2025.

The DepEd earlier made a”minor” tweak in the current school year by adjusting the end of school year to May 31 instead of June 14. This was contained in DepEd Order No. 3, series of 2024.

“Magiging gradual ‘yung shift ng ating school calendar back to the usual April-May break. Mag-end tayo ng May 31, pero magstart pa rin tayo around July 29. And then slowly, i-move natin siya back until bumalik tayo sa normal na April-May break,” DepEd Undersecretary Michael Poa told reporters.

(The shift to the school calendar back to the usual April-May break will be gradual. We will end on May 31, but we will open around July 29. And then slowly, we will move it back until we return to the normal April-May break.)

Poa said the decision to revert to the old academic calendar was based on consultations done by DepEd. “This is a decision made by the people,” he added.

JUST IN. The DepEd announces that schools in the Philippines will GRADUALLY revert to old academic calendar starting SY 2024-2025: School opening – July 29; end – May 16.

By SY 2026-2027, schools will open by June already, with break on April to May. @rapplerdotcom

— Bonz Magsambol (@bnzmagsambol) February 20, 2024

The education official said that by school year 2026 to 2027, schools would open in June and end in April, based on DepEd’s projected timeline. By school year 2027 to 2028, schools would open in June and end in March.

The school opening in the Philippines was moved to October, instead of June, in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and remote learning was implemented. In the succeeding years, it was moved to August.

The reversion to the old academic calendar was triggered by public clamor because the summer months of April and May are not conducive to learning. In 2023, a hundred of students from the Gulod National High School Mamatid Extension in Cabuyao, Laguna, were hospitalized due to dehydration after a surprise fire drill. – Rappler.com