January–September Classes, Anyone?

Why not? Why limit the options to just June–March and September–May? Why not exercise your imagination?

Here are ten reasons why schooldays would be best held from January to September.

(1)    With their 13th-month pay and Christmas bonuses in December, people have plenty of money prior to school opening month.

(2)    People can sort and exercise control over their finances and life priorities. Instead of excessive bingeing, why not prioritize school expenses for a change? Which would it be: New Year fireworks or school supplies? New shoes for Christmas or new shoes for school? Holiday vacation or school tuition? The point is: It will make parents REALLY think things through before spending their money.

(3)    Schooldays can be crammed into fewer months. Without the customary holidays (Christmas, New Year, All Saints’ Day, All Souls’ Day), as well as class suspensions due to bad weather around the latter part of the year, the school year could end earlier. Semester breaks can be shortened to just a week. Teachers, students, school administrators: Think just how much you could accomplish with more free time left to you!

(4)    Around the months when the “bad weather” season sets in, students would have spent many months in school already (January to June). This somehow guarantees that they would have already gained substantial learning, and their learning momentum set on steady. Would they think of leaving school and not finish the rest of the year when bad weather comes and floods their schools? Would they think of not going to school anymore when they have just a couple of months left to finish the year? I don’t think so.

(5)    In the summer months (March–May), the students are with their teachers—teachers who can guide them to propagate Fire Prevention or other disaster awareness campaigns, or remind them (and in turn, their families) of things they can do NOW in light of what could happen LATER when the typhoon season comes. The schools can be an efficient medium for the propagation of government-issued PREVENTIVE measures and advisories to the public beforehand.

(6)    Wouldn’t it be better if, once the school year is over, our kids are safe at home with us while the rest of typhoon season continues? Wouldn’t it be better if, around Christmas time, the schools don’t add to the heavy traffic in the metro?

(7)    October, November and December are busy months for business and commerce. Students on vacation can find temporary employment/training with companies who are at their peak season around these months.

(8)    October, November and December are also opportune months for people to hone their business/entrepreneurship skills. With many up and coming occasions and events, it’s a good time for students to learn about the value of hard work and money. Schools and companies can work together for this.

(9)    Besides the commercial opportunities, October, November and December can also be “reparation months.” These are times when the nation is usually trying to rise up again amidst calamities that hit the country (face it: we are in a danger zone). Students can help out in charity drives or volunteer programs that help uplift a community.

(10) Families bonding and doing things together are nice. Culminating at Christmas time (or New Year’s—for those who don’t celebrate Christmas), it would be much nicer. In my opinion.