By Lily O. Ramos
MANILA, Feb. 17 (PNA)— The Department of Education (DepEd) is open to making necessary adjustments for the intense traffic problem Metro Manila will experience beginning Monday night due to the construction of the Metro Manila Skyway System route from Alabang to Balintawak and other road repair, widening and rehabilitation projects.
DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonesito Umali in an interview Monday said that the agency is supportive of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMD) chairman Francis Tolentino’s proposal for a four-day school week schedule.
”Definitely, adjustment’s must be made to ease the school calendar problem because the construction of 15 major road networks will take more than two years to finish and the kids will surely suffer if they spend so much time on the streets waiting for transportation.
”We have already discussed with school superintendents and principals regarding MMDA‘s traffic rerouting which has to be well laid out first,” said Umali.
Umali said that l,768 public elementary and secondary public schools will be affected– with 750 in Greater Manila area and 3,500 private schools at the National Capital Region (NCR) for a combined total population of two million students.
”The question now is which mode or alternative would be approved to be used. Will 20 Saturday makeup classes be used to complete the 200- school days in a year? Or are we going to give alternative module or assignments to students? Are we going to extend classes by one or two hours especially for those in a two-shift schedule?
“Identification of the scheme to be used is a priority since it could be put to work next year or even this coming June should the traffic problem worsens,” said Umali.
He also confirmed that while DepEd is serious about its decision to help in solving the traffic, he thinks a thorough study must be first done by a committee; taking in consideration the matrix laid out by MMDA and DPWH.
”I don’t believe all schools are going to be hit by the big infrastructure project. Some are located a little far from national roads and highways so they may not want to be disturbed. Many of them are privately maintained but I am sure, once DepEd issues the order, they will respond,” he said. (PNA)