AS AROUND 27 million students returned to school across the Philippines on Monday, June 16, 2025, they faced a critical nationwide shortage of about 165,000 classrooms.
While Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara said the national classroom deficit would require schools to implement class shifting or hybrid learning, local divisions in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu detailed their own strategies for the new academic year, which reverted to the pre-pandemic June-March calendar starting with School Year (SY) 2025-2026.
In Cebu City, where 103,000 students were enrolled as of Monday, assistant schools division superintendent Lyra Llagan said the DepEd Cebu City was prepared to handle the classroom problem by using a shifting system, which refers to dividing students into different groups or “shifts” that use the same classrooms at different times of the day to address classroom shortages. The most common form is the double-shift system, where one group attends classes in the morning and another in the afternoon.
The shift to the traditional June start occurred after the National Government decided that the month is better suited to the country’s school infrastructure, which is not designed for the extreme summer heat experienced under the pandemic calendar that began in July or August. This heat caused class suspensions and difficulties in face-to-face learning.
Public schools started the school year in August beginning with the SY 2022-2023, when classes opened on Aug. 22, 2022, as part of pandemic-adjusted schedules emphasizing blended learning.
In Mandaue City, schools division superintendent Bianito Dagatan gave an assurance that schools had enough classrooms, attributing this to effective scheduling.
Enrollment numbers were still developing on the first day. Mandaue City reported an initial count of 55,000 students, about 82 percent of its projected 67,000.
The number of students in Cebu City is expected to climb, with officials hoping to surpass the previous school year’s final count of over 200,000.
Both divisions anticipate a significant number of late enrollees in the coming weeks.
In Lapu-Lapu City, schools division superintendent Marilyn Andales said that based on their initial assessment, all 71 schools on the mainland and Olango Island are in satisfactory condition.
Of the 71 schools, including one integrated school, 44 are elementary schools while 26 are high schools.
However, Andales said there are schools, including one in Barangay Tungasan, that are still undergoing rehabilitation works as part of recovery efforts from typhoon Odette in 2021.
Peaceful first day
Education and police officials described the first day of classes in Cebu as peaceful and orderly.
In Cebu City, the opening was peaceful, with no crimes reported from morning until noon, according to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
Lt. Col. Maria Theresa Macatangay, CCPO’s deputy city director for operations, confirmed that security deployments at public schools went smoothly.
“We have not encountered any problems concerning the peace and order, security and safety of the students who returned to their schools, including the parents and school authorities,” Macatangay said.
The CCPO established police assistance desks outside schools and coordinated with campus security to ensure student safety.
Similar reports of a peaceful opening came from the DepEd divisions in the cities of Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.
Aside from securing students and preparing schools, education officials also focused on student well-being.
In Lapu-Lapu City, Andales urged students to build positive relationships.
“We are concerned with anti-bullying, so students should befriend their classmates and schoolmates. Spread love,” Andales said.
The new academic year will end on March 31, 2026. / TPM, CAV, JPS, DPC, AYB, INTERNS TRIXCY SHIEN COBARDE OF BENEDICTO COLLEGE AND ZENN DEE TEJERO OF CNU