In-person classes in public schools suspended over heat, transpo strike

In-person classes in all public schools on Monday, April 29, and Tuesday, April 30, have been suspended in light of reported high heat indexes and the impending transport strike to be staged by jeepney groups, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Sunday.

The DepEd directed all public schools nationwide to implement asynchronous classes and distance learning in view of the intense heat and the three-day nationwide transport strike to be staged by transport groups Manibela and Piston.

The transport groups set the strike from April 29 to May 1 to protest the government’s modernization program on public-utility vehicles. May 1 falls on Labor Day, a national public holiday.

Teachers can stay home

The DepEd added teaching and nonteaching personnel are also not required to physically report to their respective schools in line with the class suspension on Monday and Tuesday.

While in-person classes are suspended, the DepEd clarified that activities set by the regional and schools division offices on those dates, especially events organized by the Regional Athletic Association Meets and other divisions, may push through as scheduled.

However, there must be measures for the safety of all participants in the activities and all have been “carefully considered.”

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Private schools can decide

Although private schools are not covered by the DepEd’s suspension of in-person classes, they have the option to implement the same policy or not, the department added.

Based on the state weather bureau’s data, the highest heat index reported on Sunday was in Aparri, Cagayan province with 47 degrees Celsius. In Metro Manila, the experienced heat was at 45 C.

The transport strike is aimed to paralyze most of Metro Manila’s major routes covering the cities of Manila, Quezon, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, Caloocan, Pasay, among others.