Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Tuesday said Saturday catch-up classes or night shifts may be implemented after several weeks of typhoon-driven class disruptions.

In an ambush interview on the sidelines of the 2024 Regional Conference on Educational Planning in Asia at SEAMEO Regional Centre for Educational Innovation and Technology center in Quezon City, Angara underscored the urgency of make-up classes to prevent learning loss.

“Sinasabi namin na maghanda na, na iyong iba, Saturday classes na, atsaka yung iba, baka kailangan evening dahil depende sa availability ng teachers, depende sa availability ng (We are telling them to get ready, that others will have Saturday classes, while others may need evening classes depending on the availability of teachers and) facilities,” Angara said.

Based on the DepEd’s latest situational report, 20,860,818 learners and 883,822 teaching and non-teaching staff in 42,099 schools were affected following the onslaught of Super Typhoon Julian (international name Krathon), Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami), and Super Typhoon Leon (Kong-rey).

In terms of school days lost due to other weather disturbances since August, Calabarzon logged the highest record with 26 days of class suspensions.

Besides Saturday or evening classes, Angara reiterated the pilot implementation of the dynamic learning program (DLP) this month to allow flexibility in learners’ activities, as it involves utilizing “simple and targeted” activity sheets.

The DepEd earlier announced the pilot rollout of DLP in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, and Cordillera Administrative Region.

Angara likewise disclosed plans to map out crowded public schools, and the granting of vouchers to more learners from congested rooms.

“Well, tinitingnan din namin ‘yung private schools kasi nag-offer din sila… Hindi masikip. Nakaka-spend sila ng oras doon sa mismong silid aralan hindi tulad nung nangyayari ngayon. May (We are looking at the offer of public schools … It’s not congested. They can spend more time in the classrooms. Unlike what’s happening now, there’s) double shift, triple shift,” he said.

For the rehabilitation and repair of damaged schools, Angara said coordination with local government units, the Department of Public Works and Highways, and the private sector, among others, will expedite the restoration of infrastructures.

He cited the need for more funds to cover the damage to non-infrastructure resources including information and communication technology equipment, textbooks, and furniture which are not covered by the quick response fund.

Angara, meanwhile, urged the Asia Pacific education leaders and experts to work together and advance system tweaks that can help countries adapt to pressing climate changes, including building crisis-sensitive schools and strategic responses to ensure learning continuity.

“President Bongbong Marcos himself has instructed us to come up with smart, actionable answers. Gatherings like this allow us to borrow from your wisdom and shape our plans,” he said in his keynote, citing the effects of natural disasters in the Philippines alone.

“You have arrived at the right time because a week ago, our schools would have been closed and we would be cleaning up the damage from three successive typhoons. This is the new normal, as known to many island states and countries hit by tropical monsoons in this part of the world,” Angara added.

PISA preps

Angara, meanwhile, said that catch-up plans in preparation for the upcoming Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) would depend on schools, considering the effects of weather disturbances.

“Depende na sa schools kung pursigido ang mga schools, principals, dahil minsan napapabayaan. Pero sinabi namin sa operations strand, talaga kailangan i-monitor iyong make-up dahil grabe iyong nakita namin, kakaiba iyong level ng mga absences ng mga bata (It’s depending on the diligence of schools, principals, because sometimes it’s neglected. But we told our operations strand to really monitor the make-up classes because we are really seeing a different level of learners’ absences),” he said.

Before the consecutive weather disturbances, Angara said PISA-related questions have been incorporated into activities and quizzes to help learners familiarize with and prepare for the PISA in March 2025.

In the 2022 PISA, the Philippines landed in the bottom 10 out of 81 participating countries in reading comprehension, mathematics, and science; and second to the last in creative thinking. (PNA)