Teachers in Negros Occidental are gearing up for the closing of the school year 2023-2024 this coming May 31, 2024.
Ian Arnold Arnaiz, information officer of Department Education-Negros Occidental, said Wednesday, February 21, that they received DepEd Order 003 on Tuesday, February 20, containing the new schedule of school closing, covering all public elementary and high schools nationwide.
Private schools can have their own schedule as they have the autonomy, Arnaiz said.
He said that based on the order, the graduation period is scheduled from May 29, 30, and 31 or on June 1 with consultation on the parents, students, and teachers as well.
The fourth quarter exam will be on May 16 to 17, Arnaiz added.
He also said that the early registration which started on January 27 will end on Friday, February 23.
The school year 2024-2025, meanwhile, is set to start on July 29, 2024, and end on May 16, 2025.
This means that the school break for this year will be from June 1 to July 28, including the weekends.
DepEd previously set the break from June 17 to August 25, 2024.
DepEd spokesperson Undersecretary Michael Poa explained that this adjustment will pave the way for the “slow” return of the pre-pandemic school calendar.
"The school days of our learners will be compromised if we fast-track the shifting and it will be difficult for our teachers to teach all the competencies. So as you can see, the shift of our school calendar back to the usual April-May break will be gradual, Poa said.
Poa further said that the number of lessened school days was not that significant because there will still be 179 school days for the current academic year.
Based on DepEd’s projections, he said that the April school break may begin starting the end of SY 2026-2027.*