The Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Monday that private schools may opt to adopt the newly reinstated June-to-March academic calendar for public schools.
DepEd’s Department Order (DO) No. 12, series of 2025, officially returns public schools to their traditional school year starting in June and ending in March, with school breaks scheduled from April to May. For School Year 2025–2026, classes will begin on June 16 and end on March 31.
While the order applies specifically to public schools, DepEd Media Relations Chief Dennis Legaspi clarified that private institutions may follow the same calendar, provided they adhere to the School Calendar Law.
“Private schools may adopt DepEd’s school calendar. They may also set their start of classes, provided they comply with the School Calendar Law, which states that the school year shall start on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August,” Legaspi said via Viber.
The order also allows Philippine Schools Overseas (PSOs), state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local universities and colleges (LUCs) to follow the same guidelines.
The updated calendar includes 197 class days, in line with Republic Act No. 7797, as amended by RA 11480, which mandates a minimum of 200 and a maximum of 220 class days per school year.