The Department of Education (DepEd) has implemented a revised curriculum for the 2026-2027 school year, alongside a shift to a three-term academic calendar, without pilot testing, sparking concerns among educators and parents about readiness and effectiveness.
Revised Curriculum Aims to Address Literacy Crisis
The new curriculum is designed to be learner-centered and mastery-based, aiming to produce holistic learning experiences. According to recent assessments by DepEd and the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2), 87 percent of Grade 11 students failed to reach independent reading levels, while 41 percent of early learners (Grades 1 to 3) struggle with foundational literacy. The revised curriculum seeks to mitigate this educational crisis.
However, Janeth L. Lacostales, a faculty member at the Department of Development Communication, CTU-Barili Campus, questioned the lack of pilot implementation. “The effectivity of this curriculum is yet to be tested this school year. Without pilot implementation and proper examination, the nation is expected to be ready to swim over this unfamiliar wave of educational curriculum,” she wrote.
Teacher Readiness and Resource Shortages
Teacher workshops and seminars were conducted to equip educators for the revised curriculum. But Lacostales raised concerns about preparedness: “Though seminars were held, the question is, are our teachers and students 100 percent ready for another change?” Teachers face challenges such as lack of learning materials like books, congested classrooms, and the pressure to make the new academic venture a success.
Three-Term System Replaces Four-Quarter Setup
DepEd also shifted the basic education academic calendar to a three-term system, replacing the former four-quarter setup. Countries using a similar system include Japan, Nigeria, and Barbados. Like the curriculum change, this shift has no pilot implementation, leaving its effectiveness uncertain. “Another unfamiliar wave to swim to and yet, the DepEd ‘hopes’ these changes will give positive results in the end. We hope so too,” Lacostales added.
Impact on Students and Parents
Lacostales, speaking as a parent, expressed concern for students: “With their young and fragile minds, they are bound to adjust in this somewhat academic experiment. We as parents, were just left to hope for the best outcomes possible because if the outcomes turn out unsuccessful, our children will be subject to receiving such failure.”
Call for Collaboration
She urged cooperation between home and school: “The home must do its utmost best to support the school. Parents and teachers must work together in order to give our children the education that they need in order to succeed. In the end, we hope that all efforts are worth it.”
