School year 2002-2003 for public schools will begin in August but on different dates to allow teachers more time to undergo professional growth and development, according to education authorities.
Some schools will open on Aug. 12 while others will start their classes between Aug. 7 to 15.
Board of Education Chairman Herman T. Guerrero said all schools will open at the same time starting school year 2003-2004.
Education Commissioner Rita H. Inos said this will be the last year that schools will open on different dates.
Inos said their calendar committee which is composed of the principals of William S. Reyes, Kagman, Garapan and San Vicente Elementary Schools had already submitted a five-year calendar starting school year 2002-2003 and ending in school year 2006-07.
Inos said the committee recommended that all schools be allowed to have flexibility in choosing the date to start classes this school year since there was a delay in disseminating the calendar.
She added that some teachers may still be attending various professional growth and development in early August.
As a policy, the Public School System wants all elementary schools to start on the first Wednesday of August. This year, it falls on the 7th.
In the five-year calendar that the committee had prepared, classes for school year 2003-2004 will start on Aug. 6.
The committee also wants students to have two or three days of holidays at the end of the first and third quarters.
“These (student holidays) can be used for parents/teachers conference or report card days. We have been talking about parental involvement but never find the time dedicated to interacting with parents,” the committee said.
