President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday, June 16, 2025, personally attended the opening of classes at Epifanio Delos Santos Elementary School in Malate, City of Manila. His visit underscores the Administration’s commitment to ensuring a safe and well-resourced start to the academic year across public schools nationwide, the Department of Education (DepEd) declared.

This event marks a significant return to the traditional June-to-March school calendar, following a temporary shift implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current school year (SY) 2025–2026 is scheduled to conclude on March 31, 2026.

During his visit, President Marcos Jr. engaged directly with students, leading an interactive learning session with Grade 1 pupils. He utilized flashcards to promote reading and active participation, and took time to answer questions from the students, fostering an engaging and inclusive classroom environment.

Following the learning session, the Chief Executive proceeded to visit other Grade 1 classrooms. He then went to the principal’s office, where he received a briefing on the school’s current security measures, including the implementation of CCTV monitoring systems.

DepEd projects a total of approximately 27 million students from preschool to senior high school to be enrolled for SY 2025–2026 across the country.

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