PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill that allows the President to adjust the opening of classes during a state of emergency or calamity.
Malacañang said Monday, July 20, 2020, that Republic Act (RA) no. 11480 was signed on Friday, July 17. It amended Section 3 of RA 7797.
Opening of classes is still set on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August.
But under the new law, the President may, upon the recommendation of the Education Secretary, set a different date for the start of the school year during a state of emergency or calamity.
“The deferred school opening shall apply to all basic education schools, including foreign or international schools,” the amended provision states.
DepEd earlier set the opening of classes for school year 2020 to 2021 on August 24, 2020.
However, no face-to-face classes would be held. Classes would be held online or through the radio and television.
The Philippines is under a state of public health emergency and state of calamity because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.
Classes have been suspended since mid-March, shortly after local transmission of Sars-CoV-2 was confirmed. Schools were forced to either end school year 2019-2020 early or proceed with classes online.
For school year 2020-2021, the Department of Education (DepEd) held enrollment until July 15. Over 20 million students enrolled nationwide, lower than the 27 million enrollment in the previous school year. (With a report by Jove Moya/SunStar Philippines)