SCHOOL CALENDAR

Jessa Paola G. CampoBBTEBTL III-2N

An academic term or term is a portion of an academic year, the time during which an educational institution holds classes. The schedules adopted vary widely.

• A semester system divides the academic year into two terms, which are usually 14–20 weeks each.

• A trimester system divides the academic year into three terms which can be as short as eight weeks or as long as 16 weeks each.

• A quarter or quadmester system divides the academic year into four terms, up to 12 weeks each, and generally counts the summer as one of the terms.

THE PHILIPPINE SCHOOL CALENDAR

The Philippine school year runs for ten months, and a school year must be at least 200 days as prescribed by law. The school year begins on the first week of June and ends on the last week of March.

In most schools, summer break usually lasts for two months, starting from the first week of April up to the last week of May. Most schools end the school year before Holy Week. The Christmas Break usually begins in the third week of December, and classes resume the Monday or week after New Year’s Day (unless that Monday is January 2). Commencement ceremonies are often held in late March or early April.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7797AN ACT TO LENGTHEN THE SCHOOL CALENDAR

FROM TWO HUNDRED (200) DAYS TO NOT MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED TWENTY (220) CLASS

DAYS

SECTION 1. Lengthening of School Calendar. — Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, the school calendar for each year beginning school year 1995-1996, shall be lengthened to not more than two hundred twenty (220) class days, inclusive of class days which may be subsequently suspended due to natural or man-made calamities.

Sec. 2. Non-reduction of Class Hours. — The total number of class hours per day provided under the present system shall not be reduced to compensate for the increase in class days.

Sec. 3. Start of the School Year. — The school year shall start on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August.

Sec. 4. Issuance of Rules and Regulations. — The Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports shall issue, within ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act, the necessary rules and regulations to implement this Act and ensure that the total class days prescribed in this Act shall be devoted to the attainment of learning objectives.

Sec. 5. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 6. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

BASIC SCHOOL CALENDAR SHIFT

- an organization of UP faculty members called it “a drastic overhaul of tradition,” and expressed opposition to the shift in academic calendar saying that this “will havean impact on the rhythm ofsocial life and cherishedindigenous cultural rituals.”

SCHOOLS PLANNING CHANGE IN ACADEMIC CALENDAR

Other member schools of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) are also thinking of changing their school calendar following announcements made by Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines except Diliman on Thursday that they are shifting their academic calendars from June-March to August-May.

University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University, and Adamson University.

UP will start its new school calendar in August, 2014, except for Diliman while Ateneo will implement the shift in August, 2015.

ADVANTAGES OF SCHOOL CALENDAR SHIFT

The shift would open up opportunities not just for students to easily transfer to other educational institutions abroad, but also to universities.

- Joseph Noel Estrada, CEAP legal counsel

DISADVANTAGES OF SCHOOL CALENDAR SHIFT

Disruption of system - If [elementary and high school students] will graduate in

March and the opening of classes will be in September, there will be a huge gap and a disruption. And if in the end, not all colleges and universities decide to adopt the new schedule, that’s something they have to work out.

Weather - while rains and storms only affect certain parts of the

country at any given time, the heat of summer is felt everywhere at the same time.

• The Department of Education (DepEd) is not inclined to change the academic calendar for elementary and high school students.

• CHEd allows higher education institutions to change their academic calendars as long as these are in accordance with the law.