Thursday, January 15, 2009 No classes Monday in Cebu City
NO classes will be held in all public elementary and high schools in Cebu City on Monday, the day after the Sinulog grand parade.
Cebu City Hall’s consultant on education, former city councilor Joy Augustus Young, said the no-class policy will be implemented every year starting this year.
However, all schools will be required to hold make-up classes on a Saturday after the Sinulog, said Young.
As for the private schools, he said it will be up to the school administrators to decide whether they will hold classes.
“This policy applies only to public schools because the private schools have their own school calendar. It’s up to them if they will hold classes or not, but for the Cebu City Schools Division, we will adopt this policy every year,” Young told Sun.Star Cebu.
Although not all public schools will be participating in the Sinulog street dancing competition, the consultant said that based on experience, a lot of students skip classes on the day after the grand parade.
Only 10 public elementary and high schools have signed up to join the competition.
In an interview yesterday, Young said that City Schools Superintendent Lorna Rances was hesitant to declare a no-class day on Monday until they get clearance from the Department of Education (DepEd) regional office.
“I told her that we have been always doing that and that we will be holding make-up classes anyway. Many years ago we held classes the day after Sinulog and still, many were absent. I called DepEd already, so it’s final. There will be no classes on Monday but a make-up class has to be held,” he said.
Young added that he has not consulted Acting Mayor Michael Rama, but said the latter would be agreeable to it. (LCR)
