By Janeth L. Lacostales, faculty at the Department of Development Communication, CTU-Barili Campus
Recently, the Department of Education implemented the revised curriculum to be used this school year, 2026-2027. Immediate dissemination was done and teacher workshops and seminars were held so as to equip the teachers of the revised curriculum. Based on my understanding, this school year’s revised curriculum aims to be learner-centered and mastery-based, as it aims to produce a holistic learning experience for the students. Truly, this curriculum may be of a great help to the students if proper implementation is followed.
As an educator, myself, I cannot question the DepEd for implementing another curriculum since I believe that its main goal is to help the Filipino young people to improve academically. Especially that this year, reading comprehension remains a severe educational crisis in the Philippines.
In recent assessments by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) it was revealed that 87 percent of Grade 11 students failed to reach the independent reading levels, while 41 percent of early learners, Grades 1 to 3, struggle with foundational literacy.
In order to mitigate this so-called educational crisis, the DepEd created this revised curriculum. However, 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. Though seminars were held, the question is, are our teachers and students 100 percent ready for another change?
While facing the challenges like lack of learning materials like books, congested classrooms and while adjusting to this new change, our teachers are expected to help make this new academic venture a success. Can you imagine the pressure put upon the shoulders of our dear teachers?
Also, this school year, the DepEd shifted the basic education academic calendar to a three-term system, replacing the former four-quarter set up. According to Mr. Google, the other countries that are using this same three-term academic calendar, are Japan, Nigeria and Barbados. And just like the new change of curriculum, this change in the academic calendar has no pilot implementation thus, we are yet to find out its effectivity at the end of the school year. Another unfamiliar wave to swim to and yet, the DepEd “hopes” these changes will give positive results in the end. We hope so too.
As a parent, my heart goes out to our dear children, the students, the swimmers of this new wave in education. 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.
With high hopes and fervent prayers, let us all hope that this change will bring out good results in the end. Let us work hand in hand in order to solve the current academic crisis in the country. 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.
