Sense in Moving

From FS Blogs dated September 1, 2006

There is now a huge clamor among Philippine public schools about the idea of shifting the biginning of classes from June and now to September. A relatively new sheme here being considered by the Department of Education following the western and other asian countries which have been applying the system since time immemorial. Is there any sense in moving?


The point of it’s parity to valuability is, i think, not a question. If we consider the pros and cons, the later bites the dust. First, June is part of the country’s rainy season. The need to get out of the house for school even amids volumetric downpour is inevitable since nobody wants to collect absent marks from the class register courtesy of the beloved and most wonderful teacher. Another is that students and pupils buy umbrellas and raincoats as part of their back-to-school shopping list - another 150+ pesos minimum budget to pile up the family expenses column per person. And, storm season is apparent during the months of June to October. Thus usual cancellation of classes is a familiar litany. Perhaps everybody has had an experiece, maybe not just once, when one was wearing  "japorms" clothes and uniforms when suddenly heavy-pouring rain came and were caught in the middle of the street. He toggled to set the umbrella but to no avail. In a few minutes, finally, he’s in school… looking and soaking wet!

Lighter sides but real. Practically, no country would decide to begin the school year on June. And that is true with all the others except for the Philippines. Now a definitive idea is on the track. Though a new scheme for us but tried and tested in other places other than ours. We may never exactly know what will happen in case when it hit in black and white memos over our principals’ desks. How effective it will be is still a point. Just like a mango fruit that we can never tell if it is sweet or not unless we slice and taste it.