THE revision of the country’s academic curriculum is a “significant leap” toward a better and more promising future for the learners, said Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday, August 10, 2023.
In her speech during the launching of DepEd’s Matatag curriculum on Thursday, Duterte expressed optimism that the revised curriculum will provide the children with a meaningful learning experience that will boost their intelligence, improve their knowledge, enhance their skills and talents, and prepare them to become well-rounded and mature individuals.
“It offers a glowing promise in our campaign to improve the country’s basic education as it brings to life our dreams and aspirations for our learners and our country,” she said.
“We aim to produce learners who are ready and equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills needed for them to shine on the competitive world stage. The Filipino diaspora is characterized by various realities — but ultimately, Filipinos would always find a way not only to fit in but also to claim the spotlight of excellence — inspiring national pride,” she added.
Duterte noted the salient points of the Matatag curriculum, including the emphasis on the development of foundational skills such as literacy, numeracy, and socio-emotional skills to our Kinder to Grade 3 learners; strengthening of good manners and right conduct and values education subjects; and clearer articulation of the 21st century skills.
She highlighted the integration of peace competencies in the revised curriculum, which she said “holds a very special place in my heart.”
“The new K to 10 curriculum will integrate peace competencies — highlighting the promotion of non-violent actions and the development of conflict-resolution skills in learners,” said Duterte.
“For after all, there is security, there is peace,” she added.
Duterte said the Matatag curriculum stands for:
* Ma -- Makabagong kurikulum na napapanahon
* Ta -- Talino na mula sa isip at puso
* Ta -- Tapang na humarap sa ano man ang hamon sa buhay
* G -- Galing ng Pilipino, nangingibabaw sa mundo
Duterte said the Matatag curriculum will be brought to all Filipino learners as it will serve as the core curriculum for all learners catered to by various inclusion programs such as the Indigenous Peoples Education Program, the Madrasah Education Program, Special Needs Education, and the Alternative Learning System.
She expressed gratitude to those who contributed in the efforts to bring about the most needed reforms in the country’s basic education and improve the learning efficiency among learners, including former education secretary Liling Briones who initiated the review of the curriculum.
Under the Matatag curriculum, Grade 1 students will have five subjects such as language, reading and literacy, mathematics, makabansa, and good manners and right conduct (GMC) instead of seven -- mother tongue, Filipino, English, Mathematics, Araling Panlipunan, MAPEH and Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao, under the current curriculum.
For grade 2 students, subjects are mathematics, makabansa and GMRC while language and reading and literacy will be replaced by English and Filipino subjects.
Science subjects will be added on top of the five others by Grade 3.
From Grades 4 to 10, there will be eight subjects such as Filipino, English, Science, Mathematics, Araling Panlipunan, MAPEH, Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) and GMRC.
The agency aims to have the Matatag curriculum fully implemented by 2028. (SunStar Philippines)