Teachers鈥 groups on Friday criticized the preparedness and implementation of the trimester plan for the school year (SY) 2026-2027, following its approval from the Economy and Development (ED) Council.
鈥淚t was already mentioned that this needed consultations, but in the end, it was still approved hastily,鈥 Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Chairperson Ruby Bernardo said in Filipino in a statement on Friday.
“The responsibility of patching together a policy that lacks preparation should not be passed down again to those on the grounds,” she added.
The ED Council, during its 8th meeting chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., has approved the three-term school calendar of the Department of Education (DepEd) on Thursday.
This policy is seen as a 鈥渃ritical step towards improving the country鈥檚 education outcomes鈥, according to the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev).
鈥淥ur commitment to developing a globally competitive workforce begins with providing evidence-based solutions to bridge educational gaps in our country,鈥 said DEPDev Secretary and ED Council Vice-Chair Arsenio M. Balisacan in a statement.
鈥淲e commend DepEd (Department of Education) for continuously pursuing initiatives that support critical development priorities,鈥 he added.
DEPDev noted that the policy pushes for learning continuity, mitigating class disruptions caused by natural calamities, celebrations, and observances.
Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) revealed that 53 teaching days were lost in SY 2023-2024 due to calamities, holidays, non-teaching tasks, and activities.
鈥淏y shifting from a four-grading-period system to a three-grading-period system, students will benefit from longer, uninterrupted instructional blocks, stabilizing their learning pace and recovery each term,鈥 DEPDev said in a statement.
However, ACT called the decision a 鈥渞ushed top-down reform鈥.
The group urged the DepEd to halt its implementation and conduct genuine consultations with teachers鈥 unions and education stakeholders.
The new policy was also compared to the K to 12, underscoring the lack of preparedness during its implementation.
鈥淚t will surely fail, and those of us in the schools will be left to improvise and make up for all the shortcomings,鈥 Ms. Bernardo said. 鈥淎nd when it fails, we will be the ones to be blamed again.鈥
For its part, the Teachers鈥 Dignity Coalition (TDC) underscored that pilot testing must be conducted before the nationwide rollout of the new school calendar.
鈥淲e are hopeful that there will be deeper and broader discussions with the stakeholders,鈥 TDC National Chairperson Benjo G. Basas said in Filipino in a video statement on Friday.
鈥淲e hope that before they implement it, there will be a pilot in one region, as we need to calibrate many aspects, including forms and material,鈥 he added.
Under the proposed trimester system, the school year will be divided into three terms. Each term consists of an opening block, the instructional block, and the enrichment block.
The opening block, or the first week of classes in the first term, will focus on orientation and assessments.
Each term will have an instructional block that lasts 54 to 61 days, followed by a two-week enrichment block for remediation and enrichment, grades computation, checking, and preparation of school forms, and a wellness break.
The first term will run from June to September, the second from September to December, and the third from January to March. 鈥 Almira Louise S. Martinez
