DepEd School Calendar and Activities for School Year 2023-2024 (2024)

To facilitate educational excellence and advancing pedagogical effectiveness, the Department of Education (DepEd) issued on August 4, 2022, DepEd Order No. 022 s. 2023, titled “Implementing Guidelines on the School Calendar and Activities for the School Year (SY) 2023-2024” . This signifies DepEd’s commitment to the enhancement of the educational environment.

The issuance of this guideline is embedded in DepEd’s aspiration to provide the requisite parameters for educational institutions encompassing schools and community learning centers (CLCs) enabling them to orchestrate school-related undertakings while optimizing instructional time. This initiative is aligned with the overarching objectives enshrined in the DepEd MATATAG Agenda that signifies a harmonious synergy between institutional activities and strategic educational goals.

In agreement with with the provisions stipulated in Republic Act No. 11480, known as “An Act to Lengthen the School Calendar from Two Hundred (200) Days to Not More Than Two Hundred Twenty (220) Class Days,” the School Year (SY) 2023-2024 shall formally open on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, and shall end on Friday, June 14, 2024, inclusive of the End-of-School-Year (EOSY) Rites.

The Alternative Learning System (ALS) will also start on August 29, 2023.

The guidelines outlined in this directive may extend to encompass private schools as well as state and local universities and colleges. These academic institutions are accorded the opportunity to adapt these implementing guidelines for the school calendar.

Highlights of the General Guidelines for the School Year 2023-2024

• Schools and CLCs shall only observe national and local holidays declared by law.
• In-person learning shall remain the primary learning delivery modality in all schools
• For private schools, paragraph 2 of DO 44, s. 2022 shall remain in effect for SY 2023-2024. It stipulates that private schools may continue to implement any of the following options:
  • a. Five (5) days of in-person classe
  • b. Blended Learning Delivery Modality (BLDM|
    • b.l. Three (days of in-person classes and two (2) days of distance learning MDL, ODL, or TV/RBI;
      • e.g., Mondays to Wednesdays (in-person classes) and Thursdays to Fridays (distance learning)
      • e.g., Mondays to Thursdays (in-person classes) and Fridays (distance learning)
  • c. Full Distance Learning

Source: Department of Education

DepEd Order No. 022 s. 2023

IMPLEMENTING GUIDELINES ON THE SCHOOL CALENDAR AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 2023-2024

I. RATIONALE

The Department of Education (DepEd) ensures the effective and efficient implementation of the K to 12 Curriculum in accordance with the goals and objectives of the DepEd MATATAG Agenda.

The implementation of these guidelines on the school calendar and activities for SY 2023-2024 shall allow schools and community learning centers (CLCs), schools division offices (SDOs), and regional offices (ROs) to continuously improve management and operations relative to the implementation of school activities and enhancement of the teaching-learning process. Likewise, these guidelines shall allow the SDOs and ROs to provide technical assistance to schools, particularly in areas of instruction and progress monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

However, recognizing the occurrence of unforeseen circ*mstances in the form of natural disasters, armed conflicts, health emergencies, and other crises that may disrupt classes, further issuancc/s shall be released to effect changes in the school calendar.

II. SCOPE

The Implementing Guidelines on the School Calendar and Activities for SY 2023-2024 shall apply to public elementary and secondary schools, including CLCs nationwide. Private schools and state /local universities and colleges may adopt these guidelines but shall not deviate from the provisions stipulated under Republic Act (RA) No. 11480 which provides that the school calendar shall consist of not more than 220 class days.

III. DEFINITION OF TERMS

For this policy, the following terms arc operationally defined as follows:

a. Alternative Delivery Modes (ADMs) refers to the non-traditional education program recognized by DepEd which applies a flexible learning philosophy and a curricular delivery program that includes non-formal and informal sources of knowledge and skills. An alternative delivery mode may include the use of facilitator-aided and interactive self-instructional print and audio-based learning materials, videotapes, face-to-face structured learning groups, semi-structured and unstructured discussions, onc-on-one tutorials, study groups, and self-learning groups, demonstration sessions, home visits, mentoring, and remediation (RA 10618, Rural Farm Schools Act).

b. Blended Learning Delivery Modality (BLDM) refers to a learning delivery modality that combines in-person classes with any or a mix of Online Distance Learning, Modular Distance Learning, TV/Radio-based Instruction.

c. Brigada Eskwela Week refers to the week dedicated to the conduct of Brigada Eskwela activities to prepare the school for the opening of classes (DO 24 s. 2008, Institutionalization of the Brigada Eskwela Program or the National Schools Maintenance Week).

d. Class Days refers to the days when curricular and co-curricular activitiesare conducted within or outside school premises, including the home, devoted to attaining learning objectives and intended to ensure effective curriculum delivery (DO 7, s. 2020, School Calendar and Activities for School Year 2020-2021).

e. Community Learning Center (CLC) refers to a physical space to house learning resources and facilities of a learning program for adults and out-of- school children in special cases. It is a venue for face-to-face learning activities and other learning opportunities for community development and the improvement of people’s quality of life (RA 11510, Alternative Learning System Act).

f. Co-curricular Activities refers to voluntary and non-graded in- or off-campus activities organized by DepEd to reinforce curriculum delivery. They are considered extensions of formal learning experiences as they are anchored on curriculum content and standards and enrich the diverse intelligences and skills of the learners.

g. Curricular Activities refers to opportunities and experiences undertaken by the learners in the classrooms, laboratories, workshops, and homes, as well as school-based and out-of-school activities conducted to ensure learners’ acquisition of the K to 12 learning standards and the 21″-century skills (DO 21, s. 2019, Policy Guidelines on the K to 12 Basic Education Program).

h. Distance Learning refers to a learning delivery modality where learning takes place between the teacher and learners who are geographically remote from each other during instruction. It includes Modular Distance Learning (MDL), Online Distance learning (ODL), Television (TV)/Radio-based Instruction (TV/RBI), and Blended Distance Learning.

i. End-of-the-School Year (EOSY) refers to the last day of the school calendar. Thus, for SY 2023-2024, the EOSY is on June 14, 2024.

j. Exit Assessment refers to a standardized set of examinations taken by learners in Grades 4, 6, 10, and 12. It covers 21^st -century skills and is designed to determine if learners are meeting the learning standards outlined in the K to 12 Basic Education Program (DO 55, s. 2016, Policy Guidelines on the National Assessment of Student Learning for the K to 12 Basic Education Program).

k. Extra-Curricular Activities refers to voluntary and non-graded off-campus activities initiated and coordinated by external stakeholders. They are conducted beyond class hours and complement curriculum delivery to help promote learners’ holistic development.

l. Homeschooling Program refers to an Alternative Delivery Mode of public and private elementary and secondary schools where the learner’s education is managed by parents or guardians and happens primarily at home (DO 001, 2022, Revised Policy Guidelines on Homeschooling Program).

m. In-Service Training (INSET) refers to a modality of professional development (PD) intervention organized either at school-level (school-based INSET) or division/district level (cluster-based INSET) to address and resolve areas of need identified by the teachers or school leaders to continuously improve their competencies. INSET classes are participatory and should be offered to small groups to maximize impact on teacher and school leader quality (DO 11, s. 2019, Implementation of the NEAP Transformation).

n. Modular Distance Learning (MDL) refers to one among the sub-categories of distance learning delivery modality (DLDM) which is a form of self-directed learning using self-learning modules (SLMs), textbooks, and activity sheets as primary learning resources (LRs) and other supplementary learning materials.

o. Online Distance Learning (ODL) refers to one of the sub-categories of DLDM that allows teachers to conduct classes using various technologies accessed via the internet while they are geographically remote from the learners.

p. Parent-Teacher Conference (PTC) refers to an opportunity to bring parents and legal guardians and teachers together to discuss the learners’ academic progress and social behavior to support their holistic success in school (DO 34, s. 2022, School Calendar and Activities for School Year 2022-2023. .

IV. POLICY STATEMENT

DepEd issues the Implementing Guidelines on the School Calendar and Activities for SY 2023-2024 to assist schools and CLCs in planning for continuous improvement in management and operations related to the implementation of school activities and enhancement of teaching-learning process and to allow SDOs and ROs to provide technical assistance through progress Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). These guidelines are intended to ensure that public and private schools and non-DepEd schools offering basic education adhere to the number of class days required to implement the curriculum and other measures provided herein to maximize contact time between teachers and learners to achieve the prescribed learning standards.

V. GENERAL GUIDELINES

Pursuant to RA 11480, the school year (SY) 2023-2024 shall formally start on August 29, 2023, Tuesday and end on June 14, 2024, Friday.

For the Alternative Learning System (ALS), learning intervention shall formally open on the same date as the public formal basic education, August 29, 2023. The program duration shall depend on the learners’ individual learning agreements based on the results of the pre-assessments and the recognition of their prior learning.

LEARNING DELIVERY MODALITIES

Recognizing its crucial role in enabling in-depth and real-time teacher-learner interaction, in-person learning shall remain the primary learning delivery modality in all schools.

For private schools, paragraph 2 of DO 44, s. 2022 shall remain in effect for SY 2023-2024. It stipulates that private schools may continue to implement any of the following options:

a. Five (5) days of in-person classes

b. Blended Learning Delivery Modality (BLDM|

b.l. Three (days of in-person classes and two (2) days of distance learning MDL, ODL, or TV/RBI;

e.g., Mondays to Wednesdays (in-person classes) and Thursdays to Fridays (distance learning)

e.g., Mondays to Thursdays (in-person classes) and Fridays (distance learning)

c. Full Distance Learning

Schools and CLCs shall automatically implement Learning Delivery Modality (BLDM) in the event of a declaration of suspension or cancellation of in-person classes by authorized offices, including LGUs, brought about by natural or human-induced disasters or calamities, armed conflicts, emergencies that endanger the lives and limbs of learners and teaching and non-teaching personnel, and other disruptions to in person classes. Home learning activities shall only be provided if learners can accomplish them based on the severity of the situation in their respective areas. Teachers shall ensure that learners have access to the print or non-print self-learning modules (SLMs) and the home learning plan to guide them during class suspensions.

For guidance on the cancellation or suspension of in-person classes, DO 037, s. 2022, otherwise known as the Guidelines on the Cancellation or Suspension of Classes and Work in Schools in the Event of Natural Disasters, Power Outages/Power Interruptions, and Other Calamities, shall apply.

In the event of a declaration of suspension or cancellation of in-person classes for one (1) week or more, where learners temporarily stay in evacuation centers, school heads shall ensure that teachers are assigned to provide learner instructional support which can be delivered through any of the learning delivery modalities.

National and Local Celebrations and Holidays

Schools and CLCs shall only observe national and local holidays declared by law.

Preparations for the Opening of Classes

In preparation for the opening of classes, public schools shall conduct the following activities:

a. Early Registration of Learners. DO 10, s. 2023, Amendment to DO 3, s. 2018 {Basic Education Enrollment Policy} stipulates that early registration for all incoming Kindergarten, Grades 1, 7, and 11 learners in all public elementary and secondary schools shall be conducted from May 10 to June 9, 2023 to allow the Department to make necessary preparations and adjustments of plans for the incoming SY. Grades 2 to 6, 8 to 10, and 12 are considered pre-registered and shall not be required to participate in the early registration.

b. Enrollment. Schools and CLCs shall facilitate the process of registering learners into the Learner Information System (LIS) upon submission of the required supporting documents. DO 3, s. 2018 discusses the eligibility and documentary requirements in the registration, tagging, and enrollment-recording protocols. Enrollment shall start on August 7, 2023 and shall end on August 26, 2023.

c. Brigada Eskwela. The Brigada Eskwela is a DepEd initiative under the Adopt-A-School Program that calls for the engagement and collaboration of various DepEd personnel and stakeholders, such as, but not limited to students, teachers, school officials, private individuals, parents, community members, local government officials, non-government organizations, religious groups, and other private sectors for school readiness in the opening of classes.

For SY 2023-2024, the Department, through the External Partnerships Service (EPS), shall implement the Brigada Eskwela Program on August 14-19, 2023 with the theme, “Bayanihan Para sa MATATAG na Paaralan.” The National Kick-off Program shall be held on August 7, 2023, to be streamed live via DepEd Philippines official Facebook Page. ROs and SDOs may hold their own kick-off ceremonies and advocacy activities after the national kick-off program, from August 8-11, 2023 to launch and campaign for the Brigada Eskwela in their respective areas.

d. Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE). The OBE is an annual initiative that engages agencies, organizations, and other stakeholders in preparation for the opening of the SY. It is part of DepEd’s effort to ensure that learners from public and private schools arc properly enrolled and that problems, queries, and other concerns commonly encountered by the public at the start of the school year are promptly and properly addressed. It shall be conducted from August 14 to August 26, 2023.

Classroom-Based and System Assessment

To monitor learners’ progress vis-a-vis the learning competencies and provide appropriate instructional support, teachers shall regularly conduct formative and summative assessments. At the national level, the Bureau of Education Assessment (BEA) shall conduct the following system assessments as stipulated in DO 55, s. 2016, Policy Guidelines on the National Assessment of Student Learning for the K to 12 Basic Education Program:

a. Early Language Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (ELLNA) shall be administered at the end of Grade 3 as a key stage assessment to determine if learners are meeting the learning standards in early language, literacy, and numeracy. ELLNA shall be administered to Grade 4 learners three (3) weeks after the first day of classes.

b. National Achievement Test (NAT) shall be administered to Grades 6, 10, and 12 learners to assess their 21st-century skills, i.e., problem-solving, information literacy, and critical thinking, and to determine if learners have met the learning standards in their respective key stages. NAT Grades 6 and 10 shall be administered to Grades 7 and 11 learners three (3) weeks after the first day of classes while NAT Grade 12 shall be administered on the third week of the second semester.

c. National Career Assessment Examination (NCAE) shall be administered to Grade 9 learners to ascertain their aptitude and interests and provide them with relevant information on their skills, abilities, and readiness for academic and non-academic courses. For SY 2023-2024, it shall be administered within the month of October.

d. Accreditation and Equivalency Assessment (A&B) is to be taken by out-of-school youth and adults (OSYAs) to certify elementary and secondary education completion. It shall be administered yearly every first Sunday of October for the Luzon cluster and every second Sunday of October for the Visayas and Mindanao clusters at designated testing centers in SDOs. Walk-in clients shall be accommodated to take the same test only after the administration of the test in field offices in October.

e. Grade Level Placement Assessment is administered for learners in special circ*mstances specified in Section 6 of DO 55, s. 2016 to determine their appropriate grade level in the formal system.

All elementary schools shall administer the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Checklist for Kindergarten during the opening of classes, midyear, and EOSY. The results shall be used to plan and formulate appropriate interventions for the learners.

As provided for in DO 14, s. 2018, Implementing Guidelines on the Administration of the Revised Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) the Phil-IRI Groups Screening Test (GST)for Filipino (Grades 3 to 6) and for English (Grades 4 to 6) shall be conducted within the first or second month of the SY while the individualized Phil-IRI Assessment shall be completed within a month after the GST has been administered. The GST and individualized assessment post-test shall be administered at least within a month or two before the EOSY. The results of Phil-IRI shall provide feedback data to classroom teachers as bases for designing and delivering appropriate reading interventions for learners.

The Multi-Factored Assessment Tool (MFAT) shall be administered to Grade 1 learners a month after the opening of classes, as provided for in DO 29, s. 2018, Policy on the Implementation of MFAT. The results shall be used as bases for instructional planning and formulating appropriate intervention strategies for learners who exhibit developmental advancement, delays, or manifestations of learning disabilities.

Career Guidance Activities

Career guidance activities shall be conducted within the first or second quarter of the SY to assist junior high school (JHS) learners in making informed decisions regarding their preferred senior high school (SHS) track, as well as to support SHS learners in pursuing their subsequent curriculum exits. College and middle-level skills fairs, job fairs, business and entrepreneurship expos, and similar activities shall be conducted during the last quarter of the SY.

General Assembly and PTA Conferences

Schools shall hold a general assembly with stakeholders at the beginning of the SY to orient stakeholders on DepEd’s vision, mission, core values, and the curriculum and ancillary services that support learners’ development. Public schools shall conduct General Assembly at the start of the SY, midway through the SY, and at the EOSY to present the School Report Cards (SRC) and consult stakeholders on how to achieve the school’s vision, goals, and objectives better. The SRC provides stakeholders with the school’s current context and performance in achieving learning outcomes. The General Assembly may be conducted via in-person, online, or hybrid modality.

Parent-Teacher Conferences (PTCJ shall be conducted to distribute report cards, apprise the parents/legal guardians about their children’s learning progress and performance, and promote parental involvement in school activities. PTCs shall be conducted after the quarterly examinations on a date and time to be determined by the schools.

Professional Development of Teachers

There shall be an annual five-day mid-year break that shall be spent for the conduct of the Midyear Performance Review and Evaluation and the School-Based In-service Training (INSET) of teachers. For SY 2023-2024, the five-day mid-year break shall be from January 24-26 and January 29-30, 2024. The first two (2) days shall be spent evaluating the school’s progress in implementing the educational programs, projects, and activities, as well as reviewing the performance of teachers and the school staff to address concerns through cooperative effort. The last three (3) shall be devoted to the conduct of school-based INSET activities for the teachers and preparation of instructional materials. The National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) shall issue a policy that will guide the conduct of INSET.

The Learning Action Cell (LAC) shall be sustained by conducting it at least once a month – in any modality. DO 35, s. 2016, The Learning Action Cell as a K to 12 Basic Education Program School-Based Continuing Professional Development Strategy for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning, suggests the following broad areas of discussion from which specific topics may be deduced:

a. Learner Diversity and Student Inclusion;

b. Assessment and Reporting in the K to 12 Basic Education Program;

c. 21^st Century Skills and ICT Integration in Teaching and Assessment; and

d. Curriculum Contextualization, Localization, and Indigenization.

In selecting subjects for the LAC sessions, schools shall be guided by the Professional Development (PD) Priorities for Teachers which is drawn from the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST). The PD priorities shall adhere to the provisions defined in Item VI, Nos. 16-18 of DO 001, s. 2020 which states among others, that PD priorities shall allow flexibility for specific local needs, priorities, and emerging developments in teacher professional development (DM 050, s. 2020, DepEd Professional Development Priorities for Teachers and School Leaders for SY2020-202$

Christmas Break

For SY 2023-2024, the Christmas break shall begin on December 18, 2023, and end on January 2, 2024. Classes shall resume on January 3, 2024.

Year-End Deliberation of Awards

The deliberation of awards and recognition may be conducted not later than ten (10) calendar days before the conduct of the EOSY rites by the School Awards Committee for the following: (a) learners who will receive recognition and awards; and (b) learners who are candidates for graduation.

The accomplishment of year-end financial clearance of learners is strictly prohibited in public schools in accordance with DO 19, s. 2008, Implementation of No Collection Policy in all Public Elementary and Secondary Schools.

End of School Year Break

The End of School Year break shall be from June 17 to August 25, 2024.

Monthly School Calendar of Activities for School Year 2023-2024

Enclosure No. 2 of this policy presents the school calendar with the following on relevant dates:

a. Declared holidays (X);

b. Days for INSET, Co-Curricular Activities, and Home-School Collaboration Related Activities (•); and

c. Days for the administration of Quarterly Examinations (A).

VI. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

The Bureau of Learning Delivery (BLD), through the Curriculum and Learning Management Division (CLMD), shall monitor the schools’ compliance with the provisions of these guidelines. The SDOs, through the Curriculum Implementation Division (CID) the School Governance Operations Division (SGOD), shall submit reports to the ROs on the implementation of this policy and the compliance of schools with the number of class days.

The Planning Service (PS) in coordination with the School Effectiveness Division of the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development (BHROD) shall monitor the conduct of the General Assembly at the start of the SY, midway through the SY, and at the EOSY to present the School Report Cards (SRC). The ROs and SDOs, through the Policy, Planning, and Research Division (PPRD) and SGOD, respectively, shall submit M&E reports to PS.

The Bureau of Learner Support Services (BLSS) and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) shall monitor the schools’ compliance with the standards, particularly on health and safety protocols and the mechanisms during class suspensions or cancellations brought about by natural disasters or calamities and other emergencies. The ROs and SDOs shall ensure that measures to protect the safety and security of learners, teachers, and non-teaching personnel are in place during these eventualities. The SDOs shall submit progress M&E reports to the BLSS and DRRMS.

The BLSS shall lead the monitoring and evaluation of the consistent compliance of DepEd offices and schools regarding the ban on unnecessary single-use plastics and ensure that schools establish effective measures that guarantee the strict enforcement of these guidelines. It shall coordinate with BLD in ensuring compliance with the integration of environment education into the school curriculum.

The External Partnerships Service (EPS) shall lead the M&E of the implementation of the conduct of PTA Conferences and Brigada Eskwela and the compliance of ROs, SDOs, and schools vis-a-vis the guidelines set forth under this issuance. It shall prepare the M&E tool and Monitoring Plan for adoption by the ROs and SDOs. The M&E tool and Monitoring Plan shall guide the ROs – Education Support Service Division (ESSD) as the lead division, as well as the SGOD – Social Mobilization and Networking (SocMobNet) as the lead unit in gathering relevant data and submitting M&E reports.

The EPS shall lead an annual review of the program implementation and processes to assess its effectiveness. At the end of the Brigada Eskwela implementation, it shall lead the evaluation of this policy and its operating procedures. The policy and its feedback shall be discussed by the respective policy owners across governance levels through regular meetings and conferences.

Queries on the guidelines shall be addressed to the Office of the Director of the Bureau of Learning Delivery (BLD), via email address bld.od@deped.gov.ph or at telephone numbers 8637-4346 and 8637-4347.

DO No 22 s 2023 – Implementing Guidelines on the School Calendar and Activities for the School Year 2023–2024