Weeks of relentless rains driven by a persistent shearline and the ensuing flooding have severely disrupted the education sector across Eastern Visayas, forcing schools to suspend classes repeatedly from early January through February and pushing students, teachers, and administrators into a prolonged break from formal learning.
Local government units in provinces including Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Biliran ordered the suspension of classes at all levels multiple times as heavy downpours inundated low-lying communities and made school travel hazardous.
On January 4 and 5, many schools were shut down as floodwaters cut off access roads and submerged surrounding areas, prompting disaster risk officials to prioritize safety over learning activities.
The repeated closures extended into February, with fresh orders issued for February 9, when a new bout of shearline-induced rainfall triggered additional flooding.
City and municipal announcements confirmed that face-to-face classes were suspended once again in Tacloban City and other municipalities as streets turned into waterways and risk to students’ safety escalated.
This continuation of class cancellations, in some areas amounting to nearly a full week without school within a short span, has raised concerns among educators and parents alike about learning loss and academic momentum.
Teachers report having to adjust instructional plans and prepare alternative tasks or modular work to mitigate gaps.
Many learners, particularly in rural barangays with limited internet access, struggle to keep up with lessons during closures.
Moreover, flooding has affected more than just attendance. Local reports indicate that several school facilities served as temporary evacuation centers, further delaying efforts to resume classes as classrooms became overcrowded with displaced families and required cleanup before reuse.
Department of Education (DepEd) officials have stressed that safety remains paramount and that class suspensions are issued in coordination with weather advisories.
However, they are also urging schools to adopt alternative learning modalities such as modular anblended learning to maintain continuity during prolonged weather disturbances.
As the shearline’s effects gradually ease and floodwaters recede, schools are preparing to resume regular schedules.
Yet educators warn that without additional catch-up programs and remediation support, the cumulative effect of multiple closures could have lingering impacts on student learning outcomes throughout the academic year.
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