Sembreak, Christmas break merge into 5-week break next AY

Graphic art by Danna Claire Javier and Camille Joy Gallardo

As part of the major changes in the DLSU-D’s academic calendar shift, the semestral break and Christmas break for next academic year (AY) 2016-2017 were combined into a five-week break from December 18, 2016 to January 21, 2017, according to Assistant University Registrar Ronaldo Lagat.

“There was really no intention to merge the semestral and Christmas breaks. It’s coincidental. It just so happened that while plotting the schedule for next AY’s first semester, sumakto ‘yong end of class sa mid-December,” he explained.

Lagat said despite the change of semestral break’s schedule, the number of class days will remain the same like the previous AYs.

He added that academic council meetings were conducted as the Campus Ministry Office and the Center for Higher Education planned and approved the changes in the academic calendar, respectively.

ASEAN Market Integration

As per Lagat, the University aligned its academic calendar with other international academic institutions due to the 2015 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Market Integration which aims to unite the ASEAN member countries through ASEAN Economic Community in establishing free trade of goods and services among its 10 member states.

He said the foreign, local, and exchange student enrollees will experience less difficulty and more accessibility during the University enrollment since the DLSU-D academic calendar is now aligned with the schedule of international academic institutions.

“I think the University’s major intention in implementing this kind of change is to improve its education system so we can invite more foreign students and easily get international linkages,” Lagat said.