Possible 4-day-week for 20 Metro schools

Manila, Philippines -“No final decision” has been made regarding the proposed four-day school week in at least 20 schools in the National Capital Region (NCR). This clarification was made some days ago by The Department of Education (DepEd), even as DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali identified the schools that are expected to be affected by infrastructure projects lined up this year.

“We just have a list of schools submitted to the House Committee on Metro Manila Development that may be affected by the traffic congestion brought by the MMDA traffic re-routing proposal,” Umali said, adding that this list is “not yet the schools that will implement the four-day school week schedule.”

Umali disclosed that 20 schools might implement the plan this coming school year 2014-2015 but emphasized “no final decision” has been made, even as the current school year is about to end.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) earlier recommended a four-day school week to help decongest traffic in several areas affected by scheduled construction in Metro Manila.

Umali said the 20 schools that were identified by DepEd officials to be affected by heavy traffic jams due to the construction include seven schools in Manila namely, P. Zamora Elementary School (ES), Carlos P. Garcia ES, Legarda ES, E. Rodriguez ES, Celedonio Salvador ES, Rafael Palma ES, and Bagong Barangay ES; seven schools in Quezon City including Balingasa ES, San Jose ES, San Jose High School (HS), Masambong ES, Betty Go-Belmonte ES, Carlos Albert HS, and Manuel A. Roxas HS; two schools in Caloocan City namely Grace Park ES and Grace Park Annex ES; Tambong ES is Parañaque City; Kalayaan HS in Pasay City; Malinta ES in Valenzuela City; and Potrero ES in Malabon City.