Classes resume Monday – DepEd

Except for areas still flooded following the onslaught of Tropical Storm “Ondoy” last week, public elementary and high school classes will resume this Monday, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Saturday as it ordered Saturday classes and the scrapping of the coming semestral break to make up for the one-week suspension of classes.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus reported this to President Arroyo during the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) meeting at Camp Aguinaldo,Quezon City, yesterday.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) has not announced the date for the resumption of college classes.

“There are schools ready for the resumption of classes, except those used as evacuation centers,” said Lapus, who added that resumption of classes in areas that are still not passable will be delayed.

He said classes on Saturdays and during the semestral break will make up for the one-week suspension of classes from September 28 to October 2 due to Ondoy.

“We will also adopt modular instructions for home study,” Lapus added.

Meanwhile, President Arroyo said evacuees in Pasig City may transfer to the PhilSports Arena, formerly known as Ultra.

Auditoriums in the provinces are also being eyed as evacuation sites to give way to the cleanup of classrooms being used as evacuation sites and ensure that classes will resume immediately.

Citing a school he visited in Angono, Rizal yesterday, Lapus said the concern of DepEd is “going back to normalcy” as some schools are still flooded.

For his part, Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) Chairman Emmanuel Angeles said it he appealed to colleges and universities for the use of their gymnasiums as evacuation centers.

He said the appeal had been given a positive response by colleges and universities in the country.

Angeles also said that medical students are helping in the medical missions in evacuation centers, while hotel and restaurant management (HRM) students are helping in the distribution of food in evacuation centers.