BAGUIO CITY – The reduced class time for each subject or learning area was stipulated under Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 90, Series of 2009, which Education Secretary Jesli A. Lapus issued late last month to provincial and city schools superintendents and heads of elementary schools nationwide.

The DepEd official, who came here to address the recent national convention of Administrative Officers Association of Department of Education (AOADE) at the Teachers Camp in this city, explained that the directive was in response to the alarming size or population of learners in a class or overcrowded classrooms caused by unprecedented increase in enrolment this school year especially in Metro Manila and other urban schools in the country.

The order was also intended to ensure physical and academic safety of young pupils even as it was in line with public clamor to lessen their learning loads to help ensure the delivery of quality basic education.

In was learned that Lapus’ order reduced the daily time allotment in Grades 1 and 2 from five to four hours or 240 minutes; in Grade 3, to 270 minutes, and in Grades 4, 5 and 6 to five hours or 300 minutes.

In order not to adversely affect the academic performance of pupils in minor subjects, the DepEd integrated Science and Health in English for Grades 1 and 2; Sibika at Kultura in Filipino for Grades 1, 2 and 3, and Musika, Sining at Edukasyong Pampalakas ng Katawan (MSEP) or Music, Arts and Physical Education in Heograpiya, Kasaysayan at Sibika (Hekasi) for Grrades 4, 5 and 6.

The DepEd officials stressed that, in the final analysis, it is the school principal who will determine the feasibility of enforcing or not the reduced class hours in his or her school taking into full consideration the school children’s academic welfare.